Create a practical standard operating procedure for [PROCESS NAME]. The process exists to achieve [PROCESS OUTCOME] and applies to [AUDIENCE OR TEAM]. Use only these working notes: [CURRENT STEPS AND DECISIONS]. The people or roles involved are [OWNERS AND HANDOFFS]. The tools, files, and access requirements are [SYSTEMS AND RESOURCES]. The timing, service levels, and exceptions are [TIMELINES AND EXCEPTIONS]. Produce a 700–1,000 word SOP in this exact structure: - Purpose, scope, trigger, and completed-state definition. - Roles and responsibilities, stating one accountable owner for each handoff.
- Prerequisites and required inputs. - Numbered procedure, with an action, owner, tool or location, expected output, and timing for every step. - Decision points written as if/then rules. - Exception and escalation table: scenario, first action, owner, and escalation point. - Quality-control checklist and a short change-log template. Write for a new team member. Separate mandatory steps from helpful guidance. Identify where an approval, permission, customer communication, or system update is required. Do not fill gaps with assumed tools, SLAs, owners, or controls. Before answering, check that the sequence has no ownerless handoff and that every stated output becomes an input to a later step or the defined end state. Flag contradictions, missing decision rules, and work that depends on undocumented access. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [PROCESS NAME] | Enter the short name of the recurring workflow. | Weekly customer invoice review |
| [PROCESS OUTCOME] | Enter the measurable result or completed state the workflow should produce. | All invoices due within 14 days are accurate, approved, and sent by Thursday 3 p.m. |
| [AUDIENCE OR TEAM] | Enter who uses the procedure and the team or business context. | Operations coordinators and the finance manager |
| [CURRENT STEPS AND DECISIONS] | Enter rough steps, notes, edge cases, and decisions made during the work. | Export completed jobs Monday; match job tickets to rates; query missing approvals; create invoices; manager reviews invoices above $5,000; send approved invoices. |
| [OWNERS AND HANDOFFS] | Enter the roles responsible for each part and where work changes hands. | Coordinator prepares; account manager resolves job questions; finance manager approves invoices above $5,000; coordinator sends and logs them. |
| [SYSTEMS AND RESOURCES] | Enter the software, folders, templates, forms, and access needed. | HubSpot job records, Google Drive rate card, QuickBooks, invoice email template |
| [TIMELINES AND EXCEPTIONS] | Enter deadlines, cadence, service levels, common failures, and escalation rules. | Questions go to account manager within one business day; hold disputed rates; escalate unresolved client data to operations lead on Wednesday noon. |
How to use
- Paste raw notes from the people who actually perform the process, including failed cases and informal workarounds.
- Name roles rather than individuals unless the document truly depends on a named person.
- Test the numbered steps against one recent real example and correct missing inputs or handoffs.
- Follow up with: "Create a one-page checklist version for the coordinator, preserving the same controls and escalation rules."
Variations
SOP interview
Use before documentation exists and you need to extract it from a process owner.
Act as a process analyst interviewing the owner of [PROCESS NAME]. The intended outcome is [OUTCOME], and the interviewee is [ROLE]. Ask no more than 15 ordered questions covering trigger, inputs, systems, decisions, exceptions, approvals, handoffs, timing, and evidence of completion. After the questions, provide a fill-in worksheet. Do not propose a procedure yet. Flag questions that should be answered by security, finance, legal, or another specialist.
RACI map
Use when several teams argue about responsibilities.
Build a RACI matrix for [PROCESS NAME] from these activities and roles: [ACTIVITIES AND ROLES]. Produce a table with one accountable role per activity, plus responsible, consulted, and informed roles. Then list unclear ownership, conflicting accountability, and approval bottlenecks. Do not assign authority that is not in my notes. Ask up to 3 questions only where an activity cannot have a defensible accountable owner.
Process audit
Use to improve an existing procedure after errors or delays.
Audit this current procedure for [PROCESS NAME]: [EXISTING SOP]. It must meet [TARGET TIME OR QUALITY STANDARD]. Produce a gap table with the step, failure risk, missing control, recommended revision, owner, and evidence to retain. Distinguish quick wording fixes from changes needing management, security, legal, or system approval. Do not claim a control is required by law unless I provide the source. End with the five highest-priority fixes.
Tips
- Document the trigger and end state first; a list of actions is not a process if nobody knows when to start or when the work is truly complete.
- Put the required evidence beside the step that creates it, such as a ticket ID, approval record, or reconciled report.
- Give each exception an owner and clock; "escalate as needed" leaves the highest-risk work undefined.
- Use role names in the stable SOP and keep individual contact details in a separate, easy-to-update directory.
FAQ
What is the difference between a process map and an SOP?
A process map shows the flow at a high level. An SOP supplies the detailed actions, ownership, systems, checks, and exception handling needed to execute it.
Can AI document a process from a meeting transcript?
Yes, but transcripts often omit decision rules and access constraints. Have the process owner validate the draft against a recent completed case.
How detailed should an SOP be?
A trained new hire should be able to complete a normal case without asking what to do next. Keep background explanation short and make operating steps explicit.