Screenshots ClipboardHow to write an SOP with screenshots
An SOP, or standard operating procedure, tells anyone how to do one task the same way every time. Write why the task exists, who does it and what they need, then numbered steps with a screenshot each, and give it an owner and a review date.
By Manish Kalyan, who makes Screenshots Clipboard. .
What goes in an SOP?
Six parts cover most tasks. Keep them in the same order in every SOP, so people know where to look.
- A title that names the task: “Refund a customer order”.
- Why it matters, in one sentence.
- Who does it, and how often.
- What you need before you start: access, files, approvals.
- Numbered steps, one action each, with a screenshot wherever the reader has to find something.
- An owner, and the date it was last checked.
Is there a simple SOP template I can copy?
Yes. Copy these lines into a document and fill in the brackets.
- SOP: [the task, starting with a verb]
- Why: [one sentence]
- Done by: [role], [how often]
- Before you start: [access, files, approvals]
- Steps: [verb] [what to click or type], with a screenshot. One line per step.
- If something goes wrong: [who to ask]
- Owner: [name]. Last checked: [date]
Where do screenshots help in an SOP?
Wherever the reader has to find something on the screen: a button, a menu or a field. A step like “Wait for the confirmation email” doesn’t need one.
- Crop around the action, but keep one landmark, like the menu bar.
- Put a number on the spot to click, and use the same number in the step.
- Use sample data, never a real customer’s name, email or account.
- End with a shot of the finished result, so people know when they’re done.
Which tasks need an SOP first?
The ones that go wrong when the usual person is away: month-end invoices, refunds, onboarding a new hire, filing GST returns. Start with the task people ask about most.
How do I keep an SOP up to date?
Give each SOP one owner and check it every few months, or whenever the app changes. A screenshot that no longer matches the screen is the quickest way to lose people’s trust.
What’s the difference between an SOP and a how-to guide?
A how-to guide helps someone do a task once. An SOP is the agreed way your team does it every time, with an owner and a date.
Where Screenshots Clipboard helps
Screenshots Clipboard is a Chrome extension that turns the shots you pick into pages you can type on: press Make guide, and each shot becomes an A4 or Letter page with a step title and a line to type in, saved as a PDF. The How-to guide is free up to 5 pages; Plus adds SOP, Training and six more templates, and longer guides, for $2.99 a month or $19 a year.
Questions
How long should an SOP be?
One task per SOP. If it runs past about ten steps, split it into two SOPs with clear names.
Who should write an SOP?
The person who does the task most often. Then give it to someone new and watch them follow it: every place they stop is a step to rewrite.
Should an SOP be a PDF?
A PDF is good for sharing and printing, because it looks the same everywhere. Keep the editable version too, so the owner can update it.
Over to you
Which task in your team still lives in one person’s head?
Write to us, and a person replies. Write to us