How to Write an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) That People Actually Use
A practical, step-by-step method for writing SOPs: scope, format, screenshots, review and keeping them current.
By Robby Jay · Updated November 2026
A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a written set of steps for a routine task so that anyone doing it gets the same result. The hard part isn’t knowing what an SOP is. It’s writing one that people open, follow and keep up to date.
1. Pick one process with a clear start and finish
Good SOPs cover one outcome: “Reset a user’s password”, not “IT support”. If you can’t describe the finished state in one sentence, split it into two SOPs.
2. Decide who it’s for
Write for the least experienced person who will follow it. A new hire needs “Click Users in the left menu”; a senior tech might only need the policy checks. If both audiences exist, write for the new hire and put the expert notes in tips.
3. Do the task once and capture it
The fastest way to write accurate steps is to do the task while recording. With Howdock, every click becomes a step with a screenshot and a marker on what you clicked, so you’re editing instead of writing from memory.
4. Use one action per step
Start each step with a verb: Click, Type, Select, Open. If a step contains “and”, it’s usually two steps. Short steps are easier to follow and easier to update.
5. Separate warnings and tips
Anything that can cause damage (deleting data, skipping an identity check) belongs in a clearly marked warning, not buried in a sentence. Nice-to-know shortcuts go in tips.
6. Protect sensitive information
Before you share, blur passwords, customer names and internal IP addresses in every screenshot. Redaction should remove the data from the image, not just cover it.
7. Review with someone who has never done it
Hand the SOP to a person who hasn’t done the task. Watch where they hesitate; that’s where a step is missing or unclear.
8. Put it where people already look
Link the SOP in the ticket template, the team wiki, or the onboarding checklist. An SOP nobody can find doesn’t exist.
9. Assign an owner and a review date
Software changes. Give every SOP an owner and review it quarterly, or whenever the tool updates. Updating a single step with a fresh screenshot takes a minute; rewriting a stale document takes an afternoon.
SOP checklist
- One process, one clear outcome
- Written for the least experienced reader
- One action per step, starting with a verb
- Screenshots with the click location marked
- Warnings and tips called out separately
- Sensitive data redacted
- Owner and review date assigned
Keep reading
What Is Process Documentation? A Plain-English Guide · How to Create a Step-by-Step Guide With Screenshots · How to Document IT Processes: A Help Desk Playbook · Free templates