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SOP template

A standard operating procedure turns a task that depends on one person's memory into a repeatable process anyone on the team can follow. This template gives you the sections an SOP needs, what each section is for, and the questions to answer before you write. The worked example shows the same structure filled in for a real process. Write the steps so someone who has never done the task can follow them, in the order they happen, and state what to do when a step goes wrong. Give the document a number and an owner from the start; that is what lets you cite it and keep it current.

DocumentSOP-001
RevisionRev 1.0
Last reviewed2026-08-14
Ownerfreebizdocs.com

A starting structure for a standard operating procedure: what to write in each section and how to write it so it survives an audit and a second author.

Copy it, or print it and save as PDF. 
SOP-001  ·  Rev 1.0
[SOP TEMPLATE]

A standard operating procedure turns a task that depends on one person's memory into a repeatable process anyone on the team can follow. This template gives you the sections an SOP needs, what each section is for, and the questions to answer before you write. The worked example shows the same structure filled in for a real process. Write the steps so someone who has never done the task can follow them, in the order they happen, and state what to do when a step goes wrong. Give the document a number and an owner from the start; that is what lets you cite it and keep it current.

1.  PURPOSE
    > Note — One sentence on why this procedure exists — the problem it prevents.
    [PURPOSE]
    This section states the outcome the procedure is written to produce. If it cannot be stated in one sentence, the procedure covers more than one activity and should be split into separate documents.

2.  SCOPE
    > Note — Who and what this covers, and what it does not.
    [SCOPE]
    State the boundary. A procedure that does not say what it does not cover gets applied where it was never intended.

3.  DEFINITIONS
    > Note — Terms and acronyms the reader will meet, each defined in one line.
    [DEFINITIONS]

4.  ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
    > Note — Who does the work, who approves changes, who answers questions.
    [OWNER]
    [DOERS]

5.  PREREQUISITES
    > Note — What must be true before this procedure starts: training, materials, access.
    [PREREQUISITES]

6.  PROCEDURE
    > Note — Numbered steps in the order they happen. Each step is one action with one result. Do not assume prior knowledge — write for the person who has never done this.
    [STEP_1]
    [STEP_2]
    [CHECKPOINT]
    [STEP_3]
    [DECISION]
    [STEP_4]
    [STEP_5]

7.  NONCONFORMITY
    > Note — What to do when a step cannot be completed or the expected result is not reached.
    [NONCONFORMITY]

8.  RECORDS
    > Note — What record this procedure leaves, where it is kept, and for how long.
    [RECORDS]

9.  REVISION HISTORY
    > Note — The control block carries the current revision. This section records what changed and when.
    Change the revision number in the control block when this document changes, and record the change here with the date and a one-line description. A document with no revision history cannot be cited, because nobody knows whether the version in front of them is current.
    [REVISION_LOG]

Free to use in your own documents, including commercially.
1

Purpose

Note — One sentence on why this procedure exists — the problem it prevents.

[PURPOSE]

Note — The outcome this procedure exists to guarantee, in one sentence.

This section states the outcome the procedure is written to produce. If it cannot be stated in one sentence, the procedure covers more than one activity and should be split into separate documents.

2

Scope

Note — Who and what this covers, and what it does not.

[SCOPE]

Note — The people, equipment or situations this procedure applies to, and what it deliberately excludes.

State the boundary. A procedure that does not say what it does not cover gets applied where it was never intended.

3

Definitions

Note — Terms and acronyms the reader will meet, each defined in one line.

[DEFINITIONS]

Note — Terms and acronyms used in this procedure, each with a one-line definition.
4

Roles and responsibilities

Note — Who does the work, who approves changes, who answers questions.

[OWNER]

Note — The role that owns this procedure and approves changes to it.

[DOERS]

Note — The roles that carry out the procedure.
5

Prerequisites

Note — What must be true before this procedure starts: training, materials, access.

[PREREQUISITES]

Note — Training, materials or access required before starting.
6

Procedure

Note — Numbered steps in the order they happen. Each step is one action with one result. Do not assume prior knowledge — write for the person who has never done this.

[STEP_1]

Note — The first action, in one sentence, with the result it produces.

[STEP_2]

Note — The next action, in one sentence.

[CHECKPOINT]

Note — What to verify at this point before continuing.

[STEP_3]

Note — The next action, in one sentence.

[DECISION]

Note — What to check where the path forks, and what to do for each branch.

[STEP_4]

Note — The next action, in one sentence.

[STEP_5]

Note — The final action, including what the finished state looks like.
7

Nonconformity

Note — What to do when a step cannot be completed or the expected result is not reached.

[NONCONFORMITY]

Note — Who to tell, what to record, and what to do in the meantime.
8

Records

Note — What record this procedure leaves, where it is kept, and for how long.

[RECORDS]

Note — The record created, where it is kept, and how long it is retained.
9

Revision history

Note — The control block carries the current revision. This section records what changed and when.

Change the revision number in the control block when this document changes, and record the change here with the date and a one-line description. A document with no revision history cannot be cited, because nobody knows whether the version in front of them is current.

[REVISION_LOG]

Note — Date, revision number and a one-line description of each change.

Worked example

1

Purpose

Note — One sentence on why this procedure exists — the problem it prevents.

To issue refunds consistently, within policy, and with a written record, so that no customer is refunded outside the limits an owner would approve.

This section states the outcome the procedure is written to produce. If it cannot be stated in one sentence, the procedure covers more than one activity and should be split into separate documents.

2

Scope

Note — Who and what this covers, and what it does not.

All refund requests received by the support inbox for orders placed on the company store. Does not cover warranty claims, which follow a separate procedure.

State the boundary. A procedure that does not say what it does not cover gets applied where it was never intended.

3

Definitions

Note — Terms and acronyms the reader will meet, each defined in one line.

Refund — a return of payment to the customer. Credit — a store credit issued in place of payment. Policy — the refund rules an owner has set, currently within 30 days of purchase.

4

Roles and responsibilities

Note — Who does the work, who approves changes, who answers questions.

The store owner.

The support representative who handles the request; the owner approves refunds above the standard limit.

5

Prerequisites

Note — What must be true before this procedure starts: training, materials, access.

Access to the store admin orders view and the payment processor. The support representative has read the refund policy.

6

Procedure

Note — Numbered steps in the order they happen. Each step is one action with one result. Do not assume prior knowledge — write for the person who has never done this.

Open the order in the store admin and confirm it exists, was paid, and is within the 30-day window.

Ask the customer to confirm the reason and the order number in the ticket.

Confirm the order is within the refund window and was not already refunded.

Issue the refund through the payment processor for the amount paid.

If the amount is within the standard limit, complete the refund. If it is above the limit, send the ticket to the owner for approval before processing.

Note the refund and the reason on the order record.

Reply to the customer with confirmation and the expected time for the money to appear on their statement.

7

Nonconformity

Note — What to do when a step cannot be completed or the expected result is not reached.

If the refund cannot be issued, record the reason, escalate to the owner, and tell the customer when they can expect an answer.

8

Records

Note — What record this procedure leaves, where it is kept, and for how long.

The refund and its reason are recorded on the order in the store admin. Records are kept for the current tax year.

9

Revision history

Note — The control block carries the current revision. This section records what changed and when.

Change the revision number in the control block when this document changes, and record the change here with the date and a one-line description. A document with no revision history cannot be cited, because nobody knows whether the version in front of them is current.

1.0 — 2026-08-14 — initial issue.

Copy it, or print it and save as PDF.

These documents are starting structures for you to build on, not professional or legal advice. Anything that will have legal or contractual effect, or that varies by jurisdiction, should be reviewed by someone qualified in the relevant place.

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Common questions

Can I use this SOP template in Word?
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Why is there no Word document to download?
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A

The Document Control Kit

Turn a folder of documents into something a team can actually find and follow

Every template on this site is free and stays free. The kit is what turns a folder of documents into a system you can actually run: a register with numbers, owners and review dates; who reviews what and how often; a numbering scheme that still works at fifty documents; and the thirty-day sequence for getting a team to use any of it, which is where most of these projects die.

What the kit holds

Register Column headings — number, title, owner, revision, approval date, review-due date
Review cadence Who reviews what, how often, and what triggers an off-cycle revision
Rollout plan The thirty-day sequence for getting a team to actually use the documents
Numbering scheme How to number documents so the system survives its first fifty
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