The right standard operating procedure (SOP) template sets the foundation for efficient process management by ensuring consistency in procedures and enhancing productivity, compliance, and overall operational excellence.
At SnackNation, we strongly advocate collaboration and transparency as essential elements of an effective and happy workplace.
To help you address this, our list of SOP templates serves as a reliable resource that consolidates the SnackNation team’s research and expertise. We’re providing you with a carefully curated selection of templates that have been vetted based on their usability, functionality, and suitability for various industries and purposes.
But first, here’s a quick look into our process.
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How We Chose the Best Standard Operating Procedure Templates
Our selection of the best Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) templates is grounded in a meticulous evaluation process, guided by criteria essential for operational excellence and team efficiency
Why trust us? The SnackNation team has been testing and reviewing 1,000’s of templates for more than a decade.
We’ve hand-picked the best standard operating procedure templates included in this article using the following criteria:
- 👉 They can be easily shared with the team
- 👉 They come with a user-friendly interface
- 👉 They’re visually appealing and clear
- 👉 They can be easily customized
- 👉 They’re great for collaboration across different departments
- 👉 They’ll save you and your employees time
- 👉 They can add a lot of value to your organization
Pro-Tip: Use “Command + D” to bookmark this list – we update it often with the latest and most useful team expectation templates!
Best Standard Operating Procedure Templates
1 Small Business SOP Template by ClickUp
✅ Best for: Any small business needing a rough process to get started.
This SOP example promises to help you document step-by-step processes, ensure task consistency, train new employees faster, and grow your business.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: It’s super easy to review and update. Hosted within ClickUp, making changes and edits, as well as gathering stakeholder and employee feedback, is a breeze.
⭐️ Pros:
- The platform comes with a user-friendly interface and intuitive design.
- The template allows for easy customization to fit small businesses’ specific needs and processes.
- SOP documentation created using ClickUp can be made visible to all authorized users, promoting organizational transparency and accountability.
❗️ Cons:
- You’ll need to manually upgrade it as you scale to suit the demanding needs of larger businesses.
2 Simple SOP Template by Smartsheet
✅ Best for: Small companies that need a fast solution to test out a rough standard operating procedure.
This is a rough initial structure you can use to add to as you scale by taking into account every department’s specific needs and typical processes you’re already using.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: A dedicated field for SOP instructions gives managers the space to ensure everyone understands how to use the template best.
👉 Try This Smartsheet Template
⭐️ Pros:
- It can be used for free outside of Smartsheet, too.
- These high-quality docs are easy to use and fill in.
❗️ Cons:
- It’s quite simple and doesn’t come with filled-in boxes.
3 SOP Template by Miro
✅ Best for: Teams looking to optimize their workflows and enhance efficiency can use this template to visualize their current processes, identify bottlenecks, and brainstorm solutions.
The template is built on Miro, a collaborative online platform that allows teams to work together in real time, regardless of their location. The template features a visual layout that makes it easy to create and customize SOPs using a variety of visual elements, such as flowcharts, diagrams, timelines, and checklists.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: The template comes with detailed work instructions on how to best use it with your team.
⭐️ Pros:
- Lots of collaborative features.
- The template is fully customizable.
- It can be used for a wide range of processes and procedures.
❗️ Cons:
- Since the template is built on the Miro platform, you must rely on Miro’s infrastructure and services to access and use the template.
4 Single Project Template by monday.com
✅ Best for: Anyone getting started with their first project.
This template lets you set up your first process documentation and track progress as you scale.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: This template factors in every aspect you need when working with your initial batch of projects. You’ll just have to customize it for your own departments, and the client project needs to make sure it fully suits your processes.
👉 Try This monday.com Template
⭐️ Pros:
- The project template is pre-filled, so you can get an overview of what it should look like in the end.
- Since the template is part of a project management tool, you can quickly create an action plan and collaborate on it.
- This is one of the few templates that comes with a Gantt Chart representation.
❗️ Cons:
- This is more of a project template than a typical standard operating procedure.
5 Standard Operating Procedure by Notion
✅ Best for: Startups looking to document their processes, track workflows, and ensure consistency in operations as they expand their teams and operations.
This Notion template can be used across different functions and departments, furnishing employees with precise instructions and protocols to adhere to.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: The template includes task lists and checkboxes that users can use to outline step-by-step procedures and track completion progress.
⭐️ Pros:
- Notion automatically tracks version history for SOP documents.
- The template supports real-time collaborative editing.
- You get a centralized location for storing and managing SOP documentation.
❗️ Cons:
- While Notion offers a free version with limited features, a paid subscription is required to access advanced features and capabilities.
6 Work Breakdown Template by Miro
✅ Best for: Any organization looking to keep team members informed and make it easier for them to find specific project deliverables and stick to a project schedule.
The work breakdown structure template helps you estimate resource allocation and costs, build a phased task schedule, and oversee every stage of the project.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: We like the unique approach to breaking down complex tasks into a hierarchical SOP structure.
⭐️ Pros:
- You’ll leverage Miro’s collaborative capabilities.
- The template is highly visual, so tasks and objectives can be easily seen.
- Miro comes with in-app version control, ensuring you won’t have to worry about adding this as an extra.
❗️ Cons:
- The template is quite simple and doesn’t come with pre-filled fields, which might be confusing to use.
7 Project Scope Template by Miro
✅ Best for: Companies that need a starting point for clarifying project scope.
As the title notes, this project scope template strictly focuses on helping organizations manage their goals, objectives, and scope within a budget and timeline.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: The template’s sticky note format makes brainstorming and visualizing ideas easier.
⭐️ Pros:
- Template instructions are provided.
- Miro provides version tracking by default.
- The template is highly customizable.
❗️ Cons:
- The template is just for the project scope, so you’ll need other templates to clarify all procedures.
8 Business Operations Template by Wrike
✅ Best for: Companies that need a better way to manage employee requests and communications and track their progress.
This template lets you keep all requests from employees in one centralized dashboard, prioritize them, and monitor their progress.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: While focused on business operations requests, the template is well-structured to clarify potential bottlenecks and priorities.
⭐️ Pros:
- Instructions for setting up and using the template are available.
- The dashboard format of the template gives you complete visibility into all requests.
- You can go one step further and highlight dependencies or project milestones using Gantt Charts.
❗️ Cons:
- It can only be used within Wrike, so you’ll likely need to purchase an account to use it with medium and larger teams.
9 Simplify Business Process by Notion
✅ Best for: Operations teams looking to delineate responsibilities and provide quick access to essential documents.
This template integrates key insights from theoretical principles and practical process management applications.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: The template was built by a community member who’s available to create a custom version of it (at an extra cost) should you require a smart version with databases or automation.
⭐️ Pros:
- Every field comes with quick notes on what they should include.
- While simple initially, you can easily scale it with Notion’s endless customization option.
❗️ Cons:
- It might take longer for your team to get used to the platform if they haven’t used Notion before.
10 Project SOP Template by ClickUp
✅ Best for: Beginners who need a centralized way to keep and provide guidelines for each project.
This new SOP template lets you define project objectives, roles, and responsibilities and set up a step-by-step guide to streamline project initiation, planning, execution, quality assurance, and delivery.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: This SOP format was specifically built to cater to the needs of project management teams.
⭐️ Pros:
- Supports real-time communication.
- It has room for custom fields, so you can personalize the template as you wish.
- It comes with instructions on how to use the template.
❗️ Cons:
- It is dependent on ClickUp’s platform and potential costs.
11 Process Map by Miro
✅ Best for: Teams that need a template for brainstorming and strategizing upon their process improvements.
This process map template lets you monitor, analyze, and better understand your team’s processes and resulting outcomes.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: Breaking down a process by stage makes for clearer objectives and next steps.
⭐️ Pros:
- It’s highly customizable.
- Your teams can easily collaborate in real time within the template.
- Miro provides details on how to use this process template.
❗️ Cons:
- This template might be too simple as it doesn’t include a way to document or track processes.
12 Project Workflow by monday.com
✅ Best for: Small and medium teams needing one sure-fire way to track project workflow progress.
This project management template lets you visualize workflows, include task details, timelines, and scope, define roles, and track progress.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: You can use this template to track all progress on a project.
👉 Try This monday.com Template
⭐️ Pros:
- Pre-filled fields for inspiration.
- Easy to collaborate on.
- There are lots of customization options.
❗️ Cons:
- There are no instructions on how to set it up.
13 Work Plan Template by Wrike
✅ Best for: Teams looking to create a work plan before they start working on a project.
This work planning template outlines the routine tasks, goals, timelines, and resources required to complete a project or achieve certain objectives within a specific timeframe.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: If you’re using Wrike for the first time, you’ll notice a Quick Start pop-up next to the template that helps you learn how to use the tool as you’re setting up the template.
⭐️ Pros:
- Portfolio dashboards give you an overview of multiple projects at the same time.
- You will get detailed instructions on how to use the template.
- You have access to strong team-wide communication options.
❗️ Cons:
- You’ll have to pay to use the template with more than one user (which is the case for everyone).
14 HR Standard Operating Procedure by Smartsheet
✅ Best for: HR teams that need a pre-outlined process outlined.
This human resources template is aimed at helping HR teams comply with different regulations and governance frameworks by making sure the important elements are covered.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: The main template comes in a couple of varieties for different departments, such as IT and HR. You can download them as a Word file and use them outside of Smartsheet, too.
👉 Try This Smartsheet Template
⭐️ Pros:
- This is a free SOP template.
- It comes with some of the most extensive use instructions.
- It’s easy to use.
❗️ Cons:
- It’s not exactly built for beginners, as you need to consider many preliminary factors before using it.
15 Roles and Responsibilities Template by Miro
✅ Best for: Any team looking to clarify its organization’s roles and responsibilities.
This employee template will guide your employees and foster understanding of each member’s roles and tasks, clearly outlining their areas of responsibility within a project or organization.
❤️ Why we love this standard operating procedure template: It provides a detailed look at every person’s main and secondary responsibilities and SMART goals, so roles won’t overlap or lead to confusion.
⭐️ Pros:
- Complete usage instructions are available.
- It is easy to customize.
- It’s hosted within Miro, so your team members will find it simple and easy to collaborate.
❗️ Cons:
- The template strictly highlights the role and responsibilities of a standard operating procedure and doesn’t include other elements.
Benefits of Standard Operating Procedure Templates
Using SOP templates has several key advantages you can’t miss out on.
First, SOP templates provide structured guidance for employees, reducing the time and resources needed for training. By referencing SOPs, new hires can quickly learn how to perform tasks effectively, resulting in cost savings associated with training materials and programs.
An SOP template also clearly outlines roles, responsibilities, and accountability for each step of a process. This helps to hold employees accountable for their actions and ensures that tasks are completed promptly and accurately.
This can lead to better resource allocation. By helping organizations identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks in processes, these templates enable them to allocate resources more effectively. Moreover, ensuring complete workflow optimization and eliminating redundant tasks means organizations can maximize productivity and resource use.
The decision-making process is also positively impacted. SOP templates provide managers and decision-makers with valuable insights into how internal processes are carried out. This enables informed decision-making and strategic planning, leading to better resource allocation and performance optimization.
Consistent adherence to SOPs ensures that products or services meet quality standards and customer expectations. This leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, ultimately driving business growth and profitability.
Tips on How To Use Standard Operating Procedure Templates
Are you ready to see it all in action? Here are some practical tips on how to use standard operating procedure templates effectively:
👍 Customize the template
Tailor the SOP template to fit your organization or department’s specific needs and requirements. Add or remove sections and headings as needed and customize the language, terminology, and formatting.
👍 Provide clear instructions
First, familiarize yourself with the template, and then use simple and concise language to describe each step of the procedure for others. Be specific about what needs to be done, who is responsible, and any relevant timelines or deadlines.
👍 Run regular reviews and updates
Set up a schedule for reviewing and updating SOPs to ensure they remain accurate, relevant, and aligned with current practices and requirements. As a bonus, go the extra mile and gather feedback from your team to later incorporate into the template.
👍 Document exceptions and deviations
Document deviations from SOPs that are necessary or unavoidable. Outline the reasons for the deviation, what corrective actions were taken, and any lessons learned to prevent similar deviations.
👍 Maintain a version control trail
Track different versions of the templates to ensure that users always refer to the latest version.
Common Mistakes to Avoid With Standard Operating Procedure Templates
Three common mistakes to avoid with standard operating procedure templates include:
❌ Overcomplicating procedures
Writing overly complex SOPs can confuse users and make it difficult to follow the documented procedures. To simplify explanations, keep SOPs clear, concise, and easy to understand.
❌ Not involving stakeholders
This can result in procedures that are impractical or unrealistic. Instead, regularly collaborate with subject matter experts and end-users when developing SOPs to ensure procedures are accurate, feasible, and aligned with operational needs.
❌ Not personalizing SOPs for different departments
Using generic SOP templates can result in procedures that don’t fit specific operational needs. Instead, customize SOP templates for each department to reflect the unique processes, responsibilities, and requirements.
People Also Ask These Questions About Standard Operating Procedure Templates
What is a standard operating procedure template?
- A: A standard operating procedure (SOP) template is a document that outlines the steps, protocols, and guidelines for completing a specific task or process within an organization. It serves as a standardized set of instructions to ensure consistency, efficiency, and quality in operations — even facilitating training and onboarding of new employees.
How do I create an SOP template for my business?
- A: Start by identifying the key processes or tasks within your business that require standardization. Work with subject matter experts and employees involved in each process to gather detailed information about the steps, protocols, and guidelines currently followed. You will use this information to define the format and structure of your ideal template. Once you’ve found a basic template, customize it for each process or procedure within your business.
What are the key components of an effective SOP template?
- A: Typically, an SOP template includes components such as a title, objectives, scope, responsibilities, procedure, safety precautions, references, and a revision history.
Can SOP templates be customized for different departments within an organization?
- A: Yes! They should always be customized to the specific needs of each department. For example, the sales department may have SOPs for lead generation, sales calls, and order processing, while the HR department may have SOPs for recruitment, employee onboarding, and performance reviews. Work closely with each department’s relevant stakeholders and subject matter experts to gather detailed information about their specific processes, workflows, and best practices.
How often should SOP templates be reviewed and updated?
- A: There’s no set frequency. Instead, how often you should update a standard operating procedure template depends on factors such as the nature of the processes they document, regulatory requirements, technological advancements, organizational changes, and user feedback. You’ll want to clearly outline how often you need to review an SOP template, though. This way, you’ll always be prepared for last-minute industry, regulatory, or company changes.
