Free SOP templates and examples
Copy these SOP (standard operating procedure) templates into any document editor and adapt them to your work. Use a step-by-step guide for a sequence, a checklist for independent items, or a flowchart for decisions.
The examples are illustrative: replace the software, amounts and timings with your own process.
What to include
Regardless of format, every SOP should contain these seven sections:
| Section | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Specific, descriptive name for the process | "How to submit an expense report in NetSuite" |
| Purpose | One sentence explaining why this SOP exists | "Ensures all employee expenses are submitted correctly and processed within 5 business days." |
| Scope | Who this SOP applies to and when | "All employees submitting expenses over $25. Does not cover corporate card transactions." |
| Prerequisites | What the reader needs before starting | "NetSuite account access, receipt image or PDF, manager's cost centre code." |
| Steps | Numbered, sequential instructions with screenshots | "1. Navigate to Finance → Expense Reports. 2. Click 'New Report'..." |
| Expected outcome | What success looks like | "You will see a confirmation screen with a report number. Your manager receives an approval email." |
| Last updated | Date and owner | "Last updated: March 2026 by Finance Operations" |
Template 1: Step-by-step guide
The step-by-step guide works best for software-based workflows where the reader needs to follow exact instructions in sequence.
| SOP: How to submit an expense report | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Ensure all employee expenses are submitted correctly and processed within 5 business days. |
| Scope | All employees submitting expenses over $25. |
| Prerequisites | NetSuite account access, receipt image/PDF, manager's cost centre code. |
| Step 1 | Log in to NetSuite and navigate to Finance → Expense Reports in the left sidebar. |
| Step 2 | Click the "New Report" button in the top toolbar. |
| Step 3 | Select the expense category (Travel, Meals, Software, etc.) from the dropdown menu. |
| Step 4 | Enter the expense amount, date, and a brief description. Attach the receipt file. |
| Step 5 | Enter your manager's cost centre code in the "Department" field. |
| Step 6 | Review the summary and click "Submit for Approval". |
| Expected outcome | A confirmation screen appears with a report number. Your manager receives an approval email within 1 hour. |
| Last updated | March 2026 · Finance Operations |
When to use this format: Software workflows, system processes, any task with sequential steps that must be followed in order.
Template 2: Checklist
Checklists work best for processes with independent items that can be completed in any order. They are commonly used for onboarding, quality assurance, and setup procedures.
| SOP: New employee onboarding checklist | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Ensure every new hire has the tools, access, and information they need on day one. |
| Scope | HR and IT teams onboarding new full-time employees. |
| Before day 1 | |
| ☐ | Create company email account |
| ☐ | Provision laptop with standard software |
| ☐ | Add to Slack workspace and relevant channels |
| ☐ | Create accounts for required tools (CRM, project management, etc.) |
| ☐ | Schedule first-week meetings with manager, buddy, and team |
| Day 1 | |
| ☐ | Welcome meeting with manager (30 min) |
| ☐ | IT setup walkthrough — verify all access works |
| ☐ | Share onboarding guide links and SOP library |
| ☐ | Complete HR paperwork (tax forms, emergency contacts, benefits) |
| First week | |
| ☐ | Complete security awareness training |
| ☐ | Shadow team member on 2–3 core processes |
| ☐ | Review team SOPs and flag any questions |
| ☐ | End-of-week check-in with manager |
| Last updated | March 2026 · People Operations |
When to use this format: Onboarding, quality checks, setup procedures, any task with independent items.
Template 3: Decision flowchart
Flowcharts are best for processes with decision points where different actions are needed based on conditions. They are commonly used in customer support, incident response, and approval workflows.
| SOP: Customer refund request handling | |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Ensure all refund requests are handled consistently within SLA. |
| Scope | Customer support agents handling refund requests. |
| Start | Customer submits refund request |
| Decision 1 | Is the request within the 30-day refund window? |
| → Yes | Go to Decision 2 |
| → No | Deny refund. Send "outside refund window" template. Offer 20% discount on next purchase. End. |
| Decision 2 | Is the refund amount under $500? |
| → Yes | Process refund immediately. Send confirmation email. End. |
| → No | Escalate to Team Lead for approval. If approved, process refund. If denied, offer alternative resolution. End. |
| Last updated | March 2026 · Customer Support |
When to use this format: Customer support escalation, incident response, approval workflows, any process with "if/then" decision points.
Examples by team
There is no fixed number of SOPs a company needs. Start with the 10 to 20 processes that cause the most repeated questions or errors, or depend on one person’s knowledge. Add more as gaps appear. Here are some starting points:
| Team | Common SOPs | Best format |
|---|---|---|
| Operations | Vendor onboarding, purchase orders, inventory management, incident response | Step-by-step / flowchart |
| IT / Support | Password resets, software installation, ticket escalation, access provisioning | Step-by-step |
| HR / Training | New hire onboarding, offboarding, leave requests, benefits enrolment | Checklist / step-by-step |
| Customer Success | Account setup, feature walkthroughs, refund handling, renewal process | Step-by-step / flowchart |
| Finance | Expense reports, invoice processing, month-end close, vendor payments | Step-by-step |
| Consulting | Client process discovery, deliverable creation, handover documentation | Step-by-step |
Record the steps
Templates help most when you write SOPs by hand. For software workflows, a recording tool such as Foxstep on a Mac can capture the steps and a screenshot for each as you work. You then add the purpose, scope, prerequisites and expected outcome from the template above, and check every screenshot before sharing.
For a step-by-step method, see our guide to creating SOPs, or build a structure with the SOP template generator.
