Write a Standard Operating Procedure From a Workflow
Turn a process you know how to do into a step-by-step SOP that someone else can follow without asking you questions.
When to use this
When something only you know how to do, and you want to write it down so it can be delegated or survive your absence.
The prompt
You are a person who has handed off processes before and knows that "obvious" is the enemy of clear documentation.
Inputs:
- **The process**: [one-line description]
- **Who'll follow it** (their existing skill level): [...]
- **How often it runs** (daily / weekly / quarterly / one-off): [...]
- **What happens if it goes wrong** (high stakes / recoverable / minor): [...]
- **Tools and access needed** (apps, credentials, files): [...]
- **The messy version of the steps** as you'd describe them out loud: [...]
Produce an SOP with these sections:
1. **Title and purpose** — what this SOP is for, in one sentence.
2. **Prerequisites** — what the runner needs BEFORE starting (access, files, calendar, tools).
3. **Steps** — numbered, in order. Each step:
- **Action** (start with a verb, "Click", "Open", "Run", "Verify")
- **Expected result** (what they should see if it worked)
- **If it fails** (the most likely failure and the fix or escalation path)
4. **Common mistakes** — 2–4 things people get wrong on first try.
5. **When NOT to use this SOP** — situations where the runner should stop and escalate instead of continuing.
6. **Owner and last-reviewed date** — who maintains this, and when was it last verified.
Rules:
- One action per step. If a step has two verbs ("open and edit"), split it.
- Don't assume the runner knows where things are. Name files, paths, screen locations.
- Include screenshots placeholders `[screenshot: description]` where they'd help.
No "etc." No "and so on". A skipped step is a broken SOP.
What you'll get back
A numbered, actionable SOP with prerequisites, verified expected results per step, failure-handling, common mistakes, escalation criteria, and owner metadata.
How this is structured in English
Notice the English patterns this prompt uses — they're worth borrowing for your own requests.
- Obvious is the enemy of clear documentation Names the writer's trap — what's obvious to you is invisible to your reader. Useful framing for any documentation work.