Free SOP Template: Write a Procedure Anyone Can Follow

Direct answer: A standard operating procedure (SOP) template gives every procedure the same parts: purpose, scope, roles, what you need before you start, numbered steps with an expected result, decision points, records, and a review date. Copy the blank template below, read the filled example, then work through the six steps to write your own. For support handoffs, use the customer service SOP template. To skip the typing, record the process once and let Zight draft the guide.

Name the procedure, its owner and its scope

Give the SOP a title that names the task, not the department: “Set up a new employee’s laptop,” not “IT onboarding.” A reader should know from the title whether this is the procedure they need.
Assign one owner and one approver by role. The owner keeps it current; the approver signs off on changes. Roles outlast people, so the SOP doesn’t go stale when someone leaves.
Write what the SOP covers, what it doesn’t, when it starts and when it ends. A narrow scope is easier to follow and easier to test.

List the roles and what someone needs before step one

Name each role that touches the procedure and what it’s responsible for. If two teams are involved, say who owns the handoff between them.
List the access, tools and inputs required before starting: permissions, systems, forms, approvals. Most failed procedures fail here, before the first step.
Define any term a new teammate wouldn’t know. If the definitions section runs long, the SOP is probably covering more than one procedure.

Write each step as one action with a result you can check

Start each step with a verb and keep it to one action: “Turn on disk encryption,” not “Configure security settings and encryption as appropriate.”
Add the expected result next to every step. It tells the reader they did it right, and it tells a reviewer where things broke.
Put the safest checks first and keep anything destructive or permission-changing behind an explicit approval.

Add the decision points and when to stop

Write branches as “if this, then that.” Keep them next to the step they belong to, or collect them in the decision-points section if several steps share them.
Say when to stop and escalate, and to whom. An SOP that only covers the happy path sends people guessing at the first exception.
Note what to record and where: the ticket, the system log, the approval. Records are how you prove the procedure was followed.

Show the steps that are hard to describe

Some steps take a paragraph to describe and five seconds to show: a settings screen, a sequence of clicks, a field that only appears after another one changes. Add a screenshot or a short screen recording for those.
Link the recording in the related-documents section and next to the step it explains, so readers who need it find it without searching.
If you would rather record the whole process, Zight turns a screen recording into a draft step-by-step guide with screenshots. Review and edit the draft before you publish it. AI drafting is plan-based: Create includes 5 AI smart actions a month, and Collaborate and up are unlimited (see plans).

Set a review date, a version and an approval

Put the next review date at the top, where people see it. Six or twelve months is common; review sooner when the tools or the team change.
Version every change and log it in the revision history with the date and who approved it.
Test the SOP with someone who has never done the task. Wherever they hesitate, the SOP needs a clearer step.

Blank SOP template

Copy or download the plain-text template, then paste it into Word, Google Docs, Notion or your knowledge base. Delete any section the procedure doesn’t need.

Download SOP template

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP)

Title:
SOP ID:                     Version:
Effective date:             Next review date:
Owner (role):               Approver (role):

1. PURPOSE
Why this procedure exists, in one or two sentences.

2. SCOPE
Covers:
Does not cover:
Starts when:
Ends when:

3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Role | Responsible for
     |
     |

4. DEFINITIONS
Term | Meaning
     |

5. BEFORE YOU START
Access and permissions needed:
Tools, systems, or materials:
Inputs required (forms, tickets, approvals):

6. PROCEDURE
Step | Action | Who | Expected result
1    |        |     |
2    |        |     |
3    |        |     |

7. DECISION POINTS AND EXCEPTIONS
If ... then ...
If ... then ...
Stop and escalate when:

8. RECORDS
What to record, where it is kept, and for how long:

9. RELATED DOCUMENTS AND RECORDINGS
-

10. REVISION HISTORY
Version | Date | Change | Approved by
        |      |        |

Filled example: setting up a new employee’s laptop

A fictional IT procedure at a fictional company, filled in section by section. Section 4 (definitions) is left out because this procedure needs none.

SYNTHETIC EXAMPLE: SET UP A NEW EMPLOYEE'S LAPTOP (ACME CO.)

Title: Set up a new employee's laptop
SOP ID: IT-014              Version: 1.2
Effective date: 2026-10-01  Next review date: 2027-04-01
Owner (role): IT support lead
Approver (role): Head of IT

1. PURPOSE
Give every new hire a working, secured laptop before their first day.

2. SCOPE
Covers: company-owned macOS and Windows laptops for full-time hires.
Does not cover: contractor devices, replacements for broken laptops.
Starts when: HR confirms a start date in the onboarding ticket.
Ends when: the new hire signs in and confirms email, chat and VPN work.

3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
IT technician | Images the laptop, installs apps, runs checks
IT support lead | Owns this SOP and handles exceptions
Hiring manager | Confirms role-specific software in the ticket

5. BEFORE YOU START
Access: device-management admin, identity provider admin.
Inputs: onboarding ticket with start date, role and software list.

6. PROCEDURE
1 | Enroll the laptop in device management | Technician | Device shows as enrolled
2 | Apply the standard image for the OS | Technician | Image version matches the current release
3 | Install role-specific apps from the ticket | Technician | Each app opens without a license prompt
4 | Turn on disk encryption | Technician | Encryption status reads "On"
5 | Create the user account and send the setup link | Technician | Link marked as sent in the ticket
6 | Confirm sign-in with the new hire on day one | Technician | Email, chat and VPN confirmed working

7. DECISION POINTS AND EXCEPTIONS
If an app needs a license we don't have, then pause step 3 and ask the hiring manager.
If encryption fails twice, then stop and escalate to the IT support lead.

8. RECORDS
Keep the completed onboarding ticket for 2 years.

9. RELATED DOCUMENTS AND RECORDINGS
- Screen recording: enrolling a laptop in device management (2 min)

10. REVISION HISTORY
1.2 | 2026-10-01 | Added the encryption check | Head of IT

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What should an SOP template include?

A title and ID, the owner and approver, purpose, scope, roles, prerequisites, numbered steps with expected results, decision points and exceptions, records, related documents, and a revision history with a review date.

What is the difference between an SOP and a work instruction?

An SOP describes a whole procedure: who does what, in what order, and when to escalate. A work instruction covers one task inside it in more detail. Many teams link work instructions, or short screen recordings, from the SOP step they belong to.

How often should an SOP be reviewed?

Set a review date when you publish it, commonly every six or twelve months, and review sooner when the tools, the team or a regulation changes. Record each review in the revision history.

Can I make an SOP from a screen recording?

Yes. Record the process once with Zight and it drafts a step-by-step guide with screenshots that you review and edit before publishing. AI drafting depends on your plan: Create includes 5 AI smart actions a month, Collaborate and up are unlimited.