SOP Template: A Complete Skeleton You Can Copy
Copy everything below into your document system, replace the bracketed placeholders, and delete any section that genuinely doesn't apply. The structure is deliberately boring — use the same skeleton for every SOP so nobody has to relearn the layout. How to fill it well is covered in How to Write an SOP People Actually Follow; this page is the artefact itself.
[Task name] — Standard Operating Procedure
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Document ID | SOP-[area]-[short-name], e.g. SOP-FIN-Customer-Invoicing |
| Version | v1 |
| Owner | [Name and role — the person responsible for this document being true] |
| Applies to | [Who performs this task] |
| Last reviewed | [Date] |
| Next review | [Date — set a cycle, at least annual] |
1. Purpose
[One or two sentences: what this procedure achieves and why it matters. "Ensure every completed job is invoiced within X business days, accurately and in the standard format."]
2. Scope
[Where this SOP starts and stops. Name the trigger that starts it and the condition that ends it. State what it does not cover, and link the SOPs that pick up where it stops.]
3. Roles
- [Role 1]: [what they do in this procedure]
- [Role 2]: [what they do — include who to escalate to when stuck]
4. What you need before starting
- [Access required — system, login, permission level]
- [Information required — job number, client details, approval]
- [Tools or materials required]
5. Procedure
- [Verb-first step. One action per step. "Open [system] and go to [screen]."]
- [Next action. Name exact buttons, file names and locations.]
- Decision: [condition]? If yes → step [x]. If no → step [y]. [Write every fork explicitly.]
- [Continue to the finish line…]
- Done means: [what exists at the end — record updated, email sent, file stored in [location], who is notified].
6. Exceptions and edge cases
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| [Common exception, e.g. client disputes amount] | [Action, and who decides] |
| [Anything unusual not listed] | Stop and escalate to [role] — do not improvise on [money/safety/access] steps |
7. Related documents
- [Link to the checklist version of this SOP, if one exists]
- [Link to relevant policy]
- [Link to current official guidance if this task has regulatory edges — e.g. ATO, Fair Work Ombudsman, business.gov.au — link, don't copy figures]
8. Revision history
| Version / date | Change | Approved by |
|---|---|---|
| v1 — [date] | First issue | [name] |
In practice: before publishing, test the draft on someone who has never done the task and fix every point where they hesitate or ask a question. An SOP is finished when a stranger can follow it — not when it looks complete.
Official sources
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