1. Pick one process with a clear start and finish
"Opening the shop," "sending an invoice" or "booking a new client" are good first SOPs. "Running the office" is not one process; break it into several.
2. Capture it from the person who does it
Watch the task done, or record a call while someone talks through it. Write down every step, including the small ones people forget to mention: which login, which folder, which button.
3. Use a consistent structure
Purpose: why this process exists
Scope: when it applies and when it doesn't
Responsible: who does it, and who backs them up
Inputs and tools: what you need before starting
Steps: numbered, one action each
Done means: how you know it was done right
Exceptions: what to do when something goes wrong
Last reviewed: date and name
4. Write each step as one action
Start with a verb: "Open," "Enter," "Check," "Send." If a step has an "and," it is probably two steps. Add a screenshot or photo where a step is easy to get wrong.
5. Define done
The most skipped part. "Invoice sent" is not a standard. "Invoice sent from the billing app, copy saved to the client folder, due date entered on the calendar" is.
6. Test it with someone new
Hand the SOP to someone who has never done the task. Watch without helping. Every question they ask is a missing line.
7. Keep it alive
Put a review date on each SOP and store them where the team can find them. An out-of-date SOP is worse than none, because people stop trusting all of them.
Published by Groundwork Business Advisory. Updated October 13, 2026.