Standard operating procedures (SOPs) define company procedures to help employees properly complete tasks. But if workers can’t find the guides they need, they may do their jobs inconsistently or incorrectly. Teams may even make duplicates of the same SOP, each with different information.

To avoid these pitfalls, consider making an SOP manual to centralize all your procedures and work instructions. Once you create these guides, you can use them to train new staff, monitor work quality and update documents.

Read on to learn how to get the most out of your SOP manuals.

What’s an SOP?

Standard operating procedure documents are step-by-step instructions that help employees complete tasks according to company quality standards. Using these resources, workers will produce more consistent outcomes and make fewer errors.

There are four distinct SOP formats: checklist, flowchart, hierarchical and step-by-step. These all suit different processes. For example, checklists are best for employee onboarding because progress boxes show managers how far along new hires are in the process. But flowcharts are a better fit for walking support teams through a customer complaint call, as the chart follows the flow of a conversation.

What’s an SOP Manual?

Organizations typically write SOPs whenever there’s a company need, which can lead to scattered, inconsistent documentation. That’s where standard operating procedure manuals come in. These operations manuals compile all company SOPs and work instructions into one comprehensive document.

[Alt text: A screenshot of Scribe’s SOP Manual template, showing headers like SOP Manual Title, SOP Category and Date of Creation.]

What Are the Benefits of an SOP Manual?

A standard operating procedures manual is an essential organization-wide document, providing the following benefits.

Consistency

Manuals compile your SOPs into one place so all employees use the same updated guides. For instance, IT SOP manuals can centralize processes for handling customer data, software updates and troubleshooting. With this information, teams can comply with the most recent industry best practices.

Quality Control

SOP manuals define the company’s key performance indicators, which leaders can use to track employee productivity. Say a customer support SOP explains that representatives should respond to customer chat messages within one minute. Managers can monitor this response time to see whether employees are meeting expectations. And if not, leaders can use this data to discuss team members’ performance moving forward.

Simplified Problem Solving

Whenever employees encounter issues with their work process or technology, they can check SOP manuals to see if someone has already explained a solution. Perhaps a company's project management software has a bug and occasionally deletes tasks. An IT support staff member can create an SOP explaining how to restore the task through the program's revision history.

Reduced Redundancies

If SOPs don’t have a consistent organizational system, managers may incorrectly think a business process doesn’t have an SOP and write one, creating redundancies and wasting time. To quickly see which documents already exist, supervisors can simply check SOP manuals. And if they find a guide that isn’t up to current standards, they can revise it instead of doubling up.

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How To Create an SOP Manual: 5 Steps

Follow these five steps to craft a powerful, all-in-one resource hub.

1. Define Your Goals

Determine your main objectives before diving in, as your goals shape the structure and content of your SOP manual.

Say your primary goal is to organize existing SOPs, and your secondary goal is to provide quick access to data compliance policies. List your SOPs first, but outline a clear table of contents so employees know where both sections are.

2. Collect Information and Determine Gaps

Talk to senior leaders and managers and determine what’s essential to this manual, including job descriptions, policies and business processes. Next, ask your employees which procedures they currently use. 

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Then, review your list of resources to see which SOPs you're missing and create them. Scribe’s browser extension captures your on-screen movements and takes screenshots of each step, so you don’t need to have experience building guides — you just need to hit “Start.”

3. Update Existing SOPs

Determine if you need to update current SOPs before adding them to your manual. Ask subject matter experts for their input to ensure each guide is accurate. For example, an HR manager can review your employee onboarding SOP to see whether it reflects the current hiring procedures and SOP best practices.

We also recommend using the same structure across SOPs, as this makes navigation more intuitive. Here’s an example of what to include: 

• Table of contents.
• Purpose.
• Scope.
• Responsibilities.
• Procedure.
• Supporting documentation.
• Revision history.
• Approval.

Our Standard Operating Procedure template outlines each of these sections, so all you have to do is fill them in or let Scribe create SOPs for you automatically. And to create a unified look, upload your company branding and apply it to each guide.

4. Create Your Manual and Get Feedback

Finally, it’s time to assemble the manual. Start by grouping the SOPs logically, such as by department, and putting them in order based on their use. For instance, in the HR section, onboarding SOPs should go before offboarding documents. 

After creating a structure, outline additional sections that make the manual easier to understand. Possible additions include a revision history to track updates and a glossary to define technical terms. 

Double-check your manual to see whether it contains all the necessary SOPs, and then pass the first draft on to a handful of teammates for review. To get a mix of unique perspectives, send your manual to different people, including senior roles and junior employees. Then, use their feedback, comments and questions to make necessary revisions.

5. Distribute and Implement

After approving a final handbook, share a digital copy with relevant teammates and ask them to use it in their daily workflow. Widespread adoption is the only way to promote the consistent quality standards that SOP manuals offer, so follow up with a reminder after a few days. This ensures employees who were absent or busy have another chance to see the new resource. 

The last step is to create an open communication channel where team members can submit feedback as they explore the guide. With this information, leaders can fine-tune the manual to precisely suit each team’s needs.

Get the Most Out of SOP Manuals: 3 Best Practices

Follow these tips to write better SOPs and create a high-quality knowledge hub.

1. Use SOP Software

SOP software instantly generates accurate guides, saving time and reducing human error. Creating an SOP is simple with Scribe — turn on our browser extension or desktop app and perform tasks as usual. Our AI tool instantly generates step-by-step guides with annotated screenshots. You can leave it at that or dive deeper into the editor, where you can add eye-catching tips and redact sensitive information.

When you’re ready to compile these resources into a manual, use Scribe Pages. Simply open a new Page and import as many Scribes as you’d like. And to build a comprehensive handbook, add tips and tricks on incorporating the manual into daily workflows.

2. Keep It Accessible

You want your team to have easy access to your SOP manual long after your initial announcement. Link your handbook where people will find it, such as in your operations manual and company knowledge base.

And make your system circular by ensuring each SOP links back to the SOP manual. That way, if an employee has one SOP, they can quickly navigate to all of them.

3. Update and Revise Regularly

Commit to regular updates so your SOP manual stays relevant. Add newly created SOPs to keep them organized, and check old guides annually to see if they still express current quality standards. This may seem daunting or tedious, but it only takes a few minutes using an automatic generator.

When you create guides with Scribe, you can update your documents at any time. As processes change, simply describe new steps or delete outdated ones. Our editing interface also lets you easily swap screenshots, alerts and text to keep up with industry trends. 

Encourage Consistent Quality With Scribe

SOP manuals are an excellent method for storing and accessing company essentials, and Scribe makes them easy to build.

Our platform takes all the work out of creating an SOP. Encourage your best staff to use our AI tool during their regular tasks, and you can quickly establish a database of guides based on expert skills and knowledge. 

Sign up for Scribe and enhance organizational alignment today.