SOP guide · Evaluated September 2026

SOP Format and Template: The 9 Sections Every SOP Needs

Best SOP Software reviewers · From vendor pricing, help-centre and product pages · Evaluated September 2026

Plain answer

A usable SOP format has nine sections: a header block (ID, version, owner, dates), purpose, scope, roles, definitions, prerequisites, numbered steps, checks and records, and revision history. Use numbered steps for linear tasks, a checklist for routine tasks, and a flowchart or decision table when the task branches. Copy the template below and delete sections you do not need, never the header or revision history.

What sections should an SOP include?

The nine sections of an SOP
Section	What goes in it	Required?
1. Header block	SOP ID, title, version, effective date, owner, approver, next review date	Always
2. Purpose	One or two sentences on why the procedure exists	Always
3. Scope	What the SOP covers and what it does not, with links to neighbouring SOPs	Always
4. Roles and responsibilities	Who performs, who approves, who is consulted	Always
5. Definitions	Terms and abbreviations a new hire would not know	When needed
6. Prerequisites	Access, tools, materials, safety equipment, prior training	When needed
7. Procedure	Numbered steps, one action each, with decision points and warnings	Always
8. Checks and records	How completion is verified and what record is kept, where	Always
9. Revision history	Version, date, what changed, who approved	Always

Which SOP format should you use: steps, checklist or flowchart?

SOP formats and when to use them
Format	Use it when	Example
Numbered steps	The task is linear and done occasionally	Setting up a new user account
Checklist	The task is routine and the risk is skipping a step	Daily store opening
Hierarchical steps (steps with sub-steps)	Each step needs detail only some readers need	Month-end close
Flowchart or decision table	The task branches on conditions	Handling a returned shipment

Many teams combine them: numbered steps with one decision table at the branching point.

What does a copyable SOP template look like?

SOP ID:            [e.g. OPS-001]
Title:             [Verb + object, e.g. "Onboard a new vendor"]
Version:           [1.0]
Effective date:    [DD Mon YYYY]
Owner:             [Role, not a person's name]
Approved by:       [Role]
Next review:       [DD Mon YYYY]

1. PURPOSE
[Why this procedure exists, in one or two sentences.]

2. SCOPE
Applies to: [what is covered]
Does not apply to: [what is not covered, with links to other SOPs]

3. ROLES
Performs: [role]
Approves: [role]
Consulted: [role]

4. DEFINITIONS
[Term]: [meaning]

5. PREREQUISITES
[Access, tools, materials, training needed before starting]

6. PROCEDURE
6.1 [Verb + action.] [Expected result.]
6.2 [Verb + action.]
    WARNING: [Put warnings before the step they apply to.]
6.3 If [condition], go to 6.5. Otherwise continue.
6.4 [Verb + action.]
6.5 [Verb + action.]

7. CHECKS AND RECORDS
Complete when: [observable result]
Record kept: [what, where, for how long]

8. REVISION HISTORY
Version | Date | Change | Approved by
1.0     | [date] | First issue | [role]

Bracketed text marks what you replace. The template is free to copy and use.

How should SOPs be numbered and versioned?

Give each SOP a stable ID made of a department prefix and a number (OPS-001, HR-014) that never changes, even when the title does. Use major and minor versions: a minor change (1.1) fixes wording, a major change (2.0) changes what people do and needs retraining. Keep the revision history inside the document so a printed copy still shows it.

Does SOP software replace the template?

Most SOP tools generate the header and revision history for you. SweetProcess tracks every change with roll back; Whale and Trainual keep version history by plan; Haiku exports finished guides to Word and PDF if your SOPs must live in a document system. See how long each tool keeps versions in our retention table.

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard format for an SOP?

Header block, purpose, scope, roles, definitions, prerequisites, procedure, checks and records, and revision history. Regulated industries may add references to the regulation or quality manual clause the SOP satisfies.

Should an SOP be written in the first or third person?

Neither. Write steps in the imperative: 'Open the form', not 'The specialist opens the form' or 'I open the form'.

Is there a free SOP template?

Yes, the template on this page is free to copy.