A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a short, written guide to doing one task the right way. Good SOPs are what make delegation work: your assistant gets it right the first time, and quality stays the same when someone new takes over.
One task per SOP
"Manage the CRM" is too big. "Add a new lead to the CRM" is right. Small SOPs are quicker to write, easier to follow and simpler to update.
Start with the outcome
Open every SOP with what "done" looks like and why the task matters. When something unexpected happens, an assistant who understands the goal can make a sensible call.
Write numbered steps with screenshots
- One action per step, starting with a verb: "Open", "Copy", "Send".
- Add a screenshot or short screen recording wherever a button is hard to find.
- Link to templates, logins (via your password manager) and examples.
Call out the decisions
Most mistakes happen at decision points. Spell them out: "If the invoice is over $1,000, ask for approval before paying." "If the customer mentions a refund, escalate to the owner."
Keep them alive
Store every SOP in one shared place, like Notion or Google Drive, with an owner and a last-reviewed date. When a tool or process changes, the SOP changes the same day.
