Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): What Goes in One

What It Means

A standard operating procedure, or SOP, is a written set of steps for work that happens again and again, so anyone doing it follows the same method and gets the same result. The Environmental Protection Agency's guidance on writing them describes SOPs as the record of how recurring work is done, kept so the work stays consistent and meets the quality standards it has to meet. Labs, kitchens, clinics and offices all use them, from running a test to closing out the cash register.

Try It: Check Your SOP Has Every Part

Tick each part your SOP already has. The parts follow EPA's guidance for technical SOPs, trimmed for everyday use.

A title, a date and who wrote it Scope: what task it covers and when it applies Definitions of any terms a new person won't know Safety warnings and cautions Who is qualified to do it The equipment and supplies needed Numbered steps in order How to check the result is right What to do when something goes wrong

Parts in place0

Out of9

No numbered steps yet. That's the heart of an SOP, so write those first.

How People Say It at Work

"Is there an SOP for this?"
"Just follow the SOP and you'll be fine."
"We need to update the SOP, the software changed."

The Breakdown

What EPA's guidance puts in a technical SOP

Part	What it holds
Title page	The procedure's name and the details that identify it
Table of contents	Where each section is, for longer SOPs
Procedures	Scope, definitions, safety warnings, cautions, qualifications, equipment, the steps and troubleshooting
Quality assurance and quality control	How to check the work was done right
References	The documents the procedure relies on

How to write your first SOP (Buhata's suggestion)

Pick a task that's done often and done differently by different people.
Watch someone do it well, and write down every step as they go.
Number the steps, one action each, in the order they happen.
Add what to check at the end, and what to do when something goes wrong.
Hand it to someone who has never done the task and have them follow it while you watch.
Fix whatever confused them, date it, and set a reminder to review it.

Try it today. Write the steps for one task you'll do again this week, such as opening the shop or sending invoices.

Good to Know

EPA's QA/G-6 guidance was written for environmental data work inside the agency's quality system, so its full list is longer than an office or small business needs. The core idea carries over: written, numbered steps for recurring work, with checks and troubleshooting. Buhata's suggestion: people trust an SOP, so an outdated one misleads them; date every version and review it whenever the tools or rules change.

FAQ

What does SOP stand for?

Standard operating procedure: written step-by-step instructions for a task that's done regularly, so it's done the same way every time.

What should an SOP include?

EPA's guidance lists a title page, a table of contents, the procedures (scope, definitions, safety warnings, qualifications, equipment, steps and troubleshooting), quality checks and references.

What's the difference between a checklist and an SOP?

A checklist is a short list to tick off. An SOP explains the full method behind the task, including who may do it, what's needed and how to check the result, and it may include a checklist.

Do It in Buhata

Team Space and Tasks

Post each SOP as a thread on a board in your Team Space where the whole team can read it, and add the task as a repeating item in Tasks with an owner.

Open Buhata

Related Terms and Categories

Delegation
Handing a task, and the authority needed to finish it, to someone else, while you stay responsible for the result.
Kanban board
A board split into columns for each stage of work, such as To Do, In Progress and Done, with a card for every task that moves across as the work advances.
Definition of done
In Scrum, the formal description of the quality a piece of work must reach before it counts as part of the Increment.
Scope creep
The uncontrolled growth of a project's scope, when work gets added without anyone adjusting the time, budget or people to match.
Weekly review
A regular session, usually weekly, where you clear your inboxes, bring your lists and calendar up to date and decide what matters next.
Getting Things Done
David Allen's productivity system, from his book Getting Things Done, for capturing everything on your mind and deciding the next action on each item.

Work, career and remote life

Sources

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Guidance for Preparing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), EPA QA/G-6" (March 2001, updated April 2007); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA QA/G-6 guidance document (PDF)

Last updated October 1, 2026.