What is the difference between an SOP and a work instruction?
The difference is the level of detail and the question each one answers. An SOP covers a process from start to finish. A work instruction covers a single task in that process, at the level of what to click or do.
| SOP | Work instruction | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | A whole process | One task inside a process |
| Answers | Who does what, in which order, and why | Exactly how to do this one task |
| Reader | Everyone involved, including approvers and auditors | The person doing the task |
| Detail | Step by step at process level | Click by click, usually with a picture per step |
| Length | One to a few pages | Under one page |
| Changes when | The process or the roles change | The tool or the screen changes |
For the full definitions see what is an SOP and how to write one and how to write work instructions.
What does the same task look like written both ways?
Take "Process a customer refund".
As an SOP
- The support agent checks the request against the refund policy.
- The agent records the refund in the billing system (see work instruction WI-012).
- A refund above the agreed limit goes to the finance lead for approval.
- The agent tells the customer the refund has been made and when to expect it.
- The agent closes the ticket. The owner reviews the process every six months.
As a work instruction (WI-012, "Record a refund in the billing system")
- Open the customer record and click Invoices. Picture: the Invoices tab marked.
- Click the invoice to refund, then Refund. Picture: the button marked.
- Type the amount in Refund amount. Warning: the amount cannot be higher than the invoice.
- Click Confirm. Check: the message "Refund created" appears.
The SOP never says where a button is. The work instruction never says who approves. Each one stays short because the other carries the rest.
When do I need an SOP, and when a work instruction?
- You need an SOP when several people or teams take part, when there are approvals, or when an auditor will ask for the procedure.
- You need a work instruction when one person must do a task in a tool and the steps are easy to get wrong.
- You need both when a process has a step that is hard to do. Keep the SOP short and link to the work instruction from that step.
- You need neither for a task that takes two clicks and never goes wrong. A line in a checklist is enough.
If you write only one, start with the work instruction for the task that causes the most mistakes. It pays back sooner. A checklist is a lighter alternative for simple routines; see what a checklist is.
Can one document be both an SOP and a work instruction?
For a small team and a short process, yes. One page can hold the purpose, the roles and the steps with pictures. The trouble comes when the page grows. A reader who only wants to know where to click has to read about approvals, and an approver has to scroll through screenshots.
A good test: if the steps change every time the software changes, but the process stays the same, split them. The work instruction changes often, the SOP rarely.
Where can I get a template for each?
Both templates are plain Markdown, free to copy, and have a place for a picture in the steps.
- SOP template with screenshots for the process-level document.
- Work instructions template with pictures for one task, with a picture on each step.
What does a recorder not write for me?
A recording gives you the steps and the screenshots of a task in Chrome. It does not write the purpose, the roles, the approvals or the error cases of an SOP. Those come from you. Tasks outside the browser cannot be recorded.
How do I write the work instruction with Izly?
Izly (izly.io) is a Chrome extension that turns a task you do once in your browser into a step-by-step guide, a narrated video and a no-code automation that repeats the task. For a work instruction, record the task once: each click becomes a step with a screenshot, and you tidy the text in the editor.
Add a warning block where a step cannot be undone, cover private data, then put the guide link into the SOP, or export the guide as a PDF. Word is available on Pro and Studio. See pricing or start free.
Frequently asked questions
Which comes first, the SOP or the work instruction?
Usually the SOP, because it defines the process. But if people keep making mistakes in one tool, write the work instruction first. It solves the visible problem sooner, and you can add the SOP around it later.
Is a work instruction the same as a procedure?
No. A procedure is the SOP level: the whole process and its roles. A work instruction is more detailed and covers one task, usually in a tool, step by step.
Do work instructions need pictures?
For tasks in software, in practice yes. A picture with the target marked removes doubt about which button is meant. For physical tasks, photos do the same job.
How often should each be reviewed?
An SOP changes when the process or roles change, so a yearly review is common. A work instruction changes when the tool changes, so check it after each software update.
Related pages
Record it once and let the guide write itself
With Izly you do the task once in the browser. Clicks and screenshots become a step-by-step guide that you edit, share, turn into a narrated video or run again for every row of a table.