SOP Writing Checklist
Make a checklist for writing a standard operating procedure: scope it, draft clear steps, test with someone new, roll it out and keep it current.
- Free
- No sign-up to try
- Works as you type
5 stages, 19 steps
1. Scope
- Name the process and where it starts and ends
- Name who the SOP is for and who owns it
- List the tools, forms and access needed to do the work
- Collect any existing notes or older versions
2. Draft
- Watch someone do the task and note every step
- Write the steps in order, one action each, starting with a verb
- Add screenshots or examples where a step is easy to get wrong
- Add checks that show each key step was done right
- Say what to do when something goes wrong
3. Test
- Ask someone new to the task to follow it exactly
- Fix every step where they got stuck or had to guess
- Get the process owner to approve it
4. Roll out
- Publish it where people already look for help
- Walk the people who do the task through it
- Remove or clearly mark old versions
- Tell managers it's now the standard
5. Keep it current
- Add a version number, date and owner to the document
- Set a review date
- Give people a simple way to report problems with it
Free, no sign-up to try. Your checklist becomes a Room you can edit, publish and share.
How it works
How the SOP Writing Checklist works
- 1
Pick the stages
Keep the stages you need and name an owner for each.
- 2
Add your own steps
Add steps specific to your team or product.
- 3
Share the checklist
Create a Room everyone ticks off together from one link.
Worked example
What it makes
1. Scope
Know which process, for whom, and who owns it.
- Name the process and where it starts and ends
- Name who the SOP is for and who owns it
- List the tools, forms and access needed to do the work
- Collect any existing notes or older versions
2. Draft
Steps someone else could follow without asking.
- Watch someone do the task and note every step
- Write the steps in order, one action each, starting with a verb
- Add screenshots or examples where a step is easy to get wrong
- Add checks that show each key step was done right
- Say what to do when something goes wrong
3. Test
Prove it works for someone new.
- Ask someone new to the task to follow it exactly
- Fix every step where they got stuck or had to guess
- Get the process owner to approve it
4. Roll out
People use the new SOP, and only the new one.
- Publish it where people already look for help
- Walk the people who do the task through it
- Remove or clearly mark old versions
- Tell managers it's now the standard
5. Keep it current
The SOP stays true as the process changes.
- Add a version number, date and owner to the document
- Set a review date
- Give people a simple way to report problems with it
Who it's for
Who uses it
Operations managers
Write SOPs people actually follow.
Small business owners
Get a process out of your head before you delegate it.
Quality leads
Make every SOP go through the same test and review.
Good to know
What to consider
- This is a step-by-step checklist for producing an SOP, not the SOP itself.
- Regulated processes may need a specific format and approvals: add those steps.
Questions
About the SOP Writing Checklist
Does it write the SOP?
No. It's the checklist for writing one well: observe, draft, test, approve, roll out and review. Write the SOP in your own document.
Where do the steps come from?
From a step library written and reviewed by people, not generated per visitor. Pick the stages you need, name an owner for each and add your own steps.
Make your checklist now
Free, no sign-up to try. It becomes a Room you can edit, publish and share.
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