SOP template: Free standard operating procedures template

The most efficient teams have processes for everything, from best practices to naming company file folders. Teams perform these processes routinely and get better at them over time. But how can you be sure everyone is performing each process the same way? That’s where having a standard operating procedure (SOP) becomes useful.

SOPs document important company processes and guide team members as they learn or relearn tasks. You can write SOPs at either the team- or company-wide level. Read on to learn more about what SOPs are and how to create them.

What is a standard operating procedure (SOP)?

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are a set of written instructions that map out how your team will complete a specific process. They’re used for tasks that team members perform regularly because they streamline communication, reduce errors, and promote consistency. 

SOPs are typically part of a larger workflow documentation process. A workflow is a set of repeatable, end-to-end processes that help teams meet their goals by connecting the right people to the right data at the right time. Within any given workflow, there are likely processes that your team does regularly—and these processes can benefit from an SOP.

By creating SOPs for each process within a workflow, you can help your team accomplish end-to-end processes and deliver results faster.

What is an SOP template?

An SOP template is a pre-made guide you can use to document and replicate procedures quickly. It provides a clear, consistent structure for tasks like onboarding new hires, managing workflows, or completing projects. Because a standard operating procedure template is reusable, it saves time and helps teams follow the same reliable steps every time, making processes faster and easier to implement.

Free SOP template

Teams require well-defined processes to achieve their goals efficiently. The question is, how does your team document and communicate existing processes to ensure everyone is aligned?

This free SOP template offers a uniform way for your team to document internal procedures by providing essential context about your operational methods and leveraging your project management tools effectively.

Here's how integrating an SOP template can benefit your team:

• Marketing SOP: Use a standard operating procedure template to guide campaigns or promotional activities, ensuring team members and stakeholders have clear instructions, including company names and contact details, for executing tasks.

• Sales SOP: Equip your sales team with clear steps for following company-wide practices across email, CRM, or sales tools.

• Human resources SOP: An HR SOP template simplifies tasks like onboarding, helping new hires integrate efficiently from their effective date.

• Engineering and product SOP: Standardize coding, testing, and launch phases with procedures that include timelines, quality control, and automation for smoother workflows.

• Customer support SOP: Define processes for escalations, refunds, and FAQs so your customer experience team has the information needed for real-time support.

Below, you’ll find a free standard operating procedure template. Use this step-by-step SOP template for simple topics with smaller scopes.

How to use a standard operating procedure template

To get the most out of a SOP template, your instructions need to be clear, organized, and adaptable. Here are some key tips to ensure your standard operating procedures are both efficient and user-friendly.

• Under the header "Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for:," clearly define the specific task or process the SOP template will be used for. This title should be precise and easily identifiable.

• In the "This document was created for the purposes of:" header, concisely articulate the main objective or goal of the SOP. Explain why this procedure is important and how it benefits the workflow.

• Use the numbered list to outline each step of the procedure in a sequential manner. Ensure each step is clear and detailed, leaving no room for ambiguity.

• Use a consistent style and language throughout the document. This helps in maintaining clarity and understanding, especially for complex tasks. Avoid using jargon unless you are certain the reader understands it. To avoid confusion, spell out any abbreviations or acronyms.

• Once the steps are documented, review the completed SOP template to ensure accuracy and completeness. It may be beneficial to have it validated by someone who performs the task regularly.

• Be prepared to update the standard operating procedure as processes change or evolve. An SOP is a living document that should reflect the most current practices.

Incorporating these best practices into your SOP template improves the clarity and efficiency of your workflows.

How to write an SOP

Regardless of which SOP format you use, they all have similar components. Your SOP should have a clear title so team members can easily access the document. You’ll also want to include a section explaining the SOP’s purpose and step-by-step instructions to guide the reader. Use the steps below to begin the SOP writing process.

1. Identify your end-user

Once you’ve chosen which process to write your first SOP for, you’ll need to get clear about who your end-user is. If you’re writing this SOP for your team, ask the following questions:

• Which team members will use this SOP?

• What is their role on the team in relation to others?

• How often will they use this document?

• Will this SOP serve as training material or a reference?

• Will this SOP have multiple uses or end-users? 

You’ll use SOPs internally, but you can apply similar strategies as you would in a GTM strategy. Create a buyer persona and decide on key messaging for your document. While you aren’t trying to make a sale, your reader should get the most value from the SOP you create.

Tip: You may have multiple end-users for one SOP. For example, team members with different job roles may read the general project workflow SOP to understand their different roles throughout that workflow. While you don’t need to make multiple SOPs in this situation, you need to consider these different perspectives and potentially break down your steps so that each user understands exactly what they need to do.

2. Define your goals

You ultimately want to help your end-user perform a procedure or process. But you may have bigger goals for your SOP depending on what the process is and whether you’ve experienced issues in the past. 

For example, you might want to create an SOP for team member onboarding because your team has suffered from low retention rates. After reviewing exit interview data, you’ve noticed that people have left the team because of poor onboarding experiences. Your SMART goals for the onboarding SOP are to:

• Improve the first day of work experience

• Outline a 30-60-90 plan

• Increase retention rates by 20% over the next year

Tip: Just like any other goal you have, you can set KPIs or OKRs for your SOP creation process. OKRs can help you set stretch goals for how many SOPs you want to create in the next year. KPIs can help you measure whether each SOP is improving team productivity.  

3. Determine your scope and format

You should now have the basic idea of your SOP, which means you’re almost ready to write it. You now need to determine how you want to display your information and how in-depth your document will be. The following key can help you determine your scope and format:

• Straightforward topics: Use a step-by-step SOP format, which works best for smaller scope topics. This SOP will likely have only a few sections, with one section explaining the “why” of the SOP and the others providing work instructions. 

• Complex topics: Use a hierarchical SOP format, which allows for a larger scope. You should include a table of contents with this SOP, as well as headings and multiple sections. 

• Conditional topics/approval process: Use a flowchart SOP format, which offers a flexible scope size. This SOP may include various decisions or conditional items, and you’ll need to ensure you draft it in a way that’s easy to follow. You can also include a short “why” section at the top.

Tip: Your topic should lead you to your SOP format, not the other way around. For example, if you have a complex topic like onboarding and try to put it in a flowchart format, your readers won’t have all the details they need and will struggle to complete their training. 

4. Draft your SOP

Writing standard operating procedures requires you to break down your process or procedure into sections and steps. It’s important that you get detailed with your instructions so the SOP is clear for all readers. Even if you think a step is obvious, you should include it to avoid confusion and reduce the chance of errors. 

For example, if you’re creating a new SOP on how to process a client payment, your SOP draft may have a title, a section explaining the purpose of the document, and a list of detailed instructions on things like:

• How to ask for the payment

• Security guidelines for storing client payment information

• How to navigate the payment platform

• Where to record the processed payment

• What to do once the payment is processed

After drafting your SOP, you can show it to your end-users and ask for feedback on whether the document includes everything they need to complete the task. If your team has questions, improve the SOP as needed.  Tip: Once you finish writing your SOP, you’ll need to revisit it intermittently to ensure it’s still relevant. Processes require continuous improvement. By keeping your SOP up-to-date, you can feel confident that your team knows how to perform at a top-notch level.

SOP example

Here’s an example of a flowchart SOP. This SOP outlines how to submit an expense report and receive reimbursement. Above the flowchart, there’s a blurb explaining the purpose of the SOP.

When to use an SOP template

An SOP template can improve many of your team’s business processes. If you’re creating one for the first time, start by brainstorming all the recurring internal processes your team handles. Think about the tasks you typically teach to new team members. This can help you identify which processes would benefit from an SOP and which might not require one—such as those that are simple or need hands-on, live training.

Common SOP documents include:

• How to onboard a new client

• A step-by-step guide to the first day of work

• File naming conventions based on type and location

• Tips for scheduling meetings and tasks

• Guidance on your team’s standard project workflow

• How to navigate project management software

• An overview of your performance review process

When not to use an SOP:

• One-time tasks

• Individual-specific processes

• Rapidly changing events

• Tasks requiring detailed training

Mapping out your processes helps identify where an SOP template adds the most value.

Benefits of standard operating procedures

SOPs may be time consuming to create on the front end, but they provide many long-term benefits to team members in their daily workflow. They also improve the overall efficiency of the company.

The benefits of SOPs include:

• Create uniformity: SOPs help team members perform processes in the same way.

• Reduce training time: Having written guidelines makes it easier to train (and retrain) team members on tasks and tools.

• Offer quick answers to common questions: Team members can use SOPs to find answers to procedural questions on their own.

• Streamline communication: SOPs provide a common source of truth for how team members should accomplish internal tasks.

• Save time: SOPs offer fast clarification for team members, saving time for everyone involved in the related workflow.

• Reduce work errors: Team members can follow SOPs when performing tasks and know that they’re receiving accurate information. This prevents them from resorting to guesswork. 

Types of SOP formats

Choosing the right SOP format depends on your audience, objectives, and the level of detail required. Create SOPs that support company-wide processes or clarify specific team workflows. Common uses include onboarding new hires, offboarding, time-off requests, audits, payments, content revision history, and project change submissions.

SOP formats typically fall into three categories: step-by-step, hierarchical, and flowchart.

Step-by-Step SOP

Ideal for simple processes like receiving payments, this format breaks a task into clear steps. Include:

• Purpose statement

• Brief summary

• Clear, bulleted instructions

• Specification of the responsible person for each step

Hierarchical SOP

Designed for complex processes such as team member onboarding, this format organizes information into detailed sections. Include:

• Table of contents

• Purpose statement and summary

• Detailed instructions with links to checklists or standards

• Identification of responsible teams or stakeholders

Flowchart SOP

Perfect for processes with conditional steps, such as approvals. This SOP format provides a visual guide. Include:

• Purpose statement

• Clear flowchart or diagram for scenarios

• Designation of accountable individuals

Build and scale your workflows with SOP templates

SOPs are an important part of documenting your team workflows. Workflows can streamline your operations and help your team meet their goals. Use work management software like Asana to build workflows that can pave the way to stronger processes and performance.

FAQs about standard operating procedure templates