How to write policies and procedures template free download

The template includes spaces for two images and a short paragraph or a few bullets for each slide in the deck. PDF PowerPoint. Johnston also offers this basic work instruction template. In addition to the meta information, such as author, SOP title, date, SOP number, and issue, this template provides a small space to describe the context of the procedure and a large space to fill with steps. Word PDF. When collecting work-related documents, you likely have to standardize a system for formatting, naming, storing, and archiving.

This document control SOP template helps you decide what documents to control, as well as how to format, name, number, store, and archive them. This template includes space for discussing who is responsible for document control and for updating the document control SOP.

Word PDF Smartsheet. In addition to identifying the SOP and describing its purpose, this template provides space to list reference documents, necessary supplies and equipment, troubleshooting information, quality control details, and an SOP distribution list. That way, people can get trained and refer to the documents with consistent expectations. Reduce text and increase pictures and graphic; add videos, if necessary.

Whatever it takes to move from the world of de facto SOPs or de facto work instructions, do it. Your focus should be on conveying as much information as possible in a small space; the PowerPoint slides and bullet points from the pictorial standard operating procedure template above are a good example of this kind of economical communication.

And make sure that you include all necessary details. In reality, there may be 15 steps across a process that you need to capture. What else should you know to write SOPs with confidence? Here are some important elements to keep in mind:. Sometimes, employees avoid SOPs because the documents contain difficult jargon and uninspiring layouts. Thick manuals full of obscure terminology were once staples of engineering and manufacturing environments. Whether you are an enthusiastic or reluctant procedure writer, do not underestimate the amount of time you need to document procedures.

Follow these steps for clear and effective writing:. A manual can be as simple as a collection of Microsoft Word documents that you organize into a master document or a traditional binder with pages.

If the documents are not well executed, the information will be difficult to access or understand. Then people will start making up their own approaches, which leads to needless increases in variability and a decline in quality.

Cox says that an SOP manual can stand on its own, but is usually included in a quality manual, together with policies, processes, procedures, and work Instructions. Alternatively, the quality manual may include only SOPs, inspection procedures, and work instructions. An operations or SOP manual can work well as a repository for procedures, but you must be sure to link everything therein.

Johnston cautions against orphans i. Users can stumble across content by accident. Procedures form a part of a management system by defining established or prescribed methods and processes. We build procedures from steps, which are the aspect of processes where individuals can introduce variation. SOPs provide the overall framework, while work instructions can change more often. An SOP characterizes relationships and control measures," says Johnston. Documentation is never a substitute for training.

According to Cox, the human resource department stores various skills matrices, but for optimum efficiency, managers on the shop floor should keep this information. That way, when technical questions arise, the manager will know who is the in-house expert. In addition, if a team member calls in sick or goes on holiday, the manager will be able to identify capable individuals to perform specific tasks. SOPs describe your unique business processes and the steps you require to finish those processes in accordance with industry, legal, in-house, and competitive standards.

Procedures are step-by-step descriptions, whether predominantly text or graphics. Standard operating procedures should form the basis of regular training and provide a structure of metrics for performance reviews. SOPs also help you achieve the following:. Despite potentially providing rich sources of information, SOPs are often consigned to shelves or hidden in the labyrinth of a file share system.

Johnston describes a company that included an SOP show-and-tell in its meetings. Senior managers were each given a separate SOP and four minutes to present a precis on how the SOP applied to the meeting. He also gives an example of a company in which it previously took a new hire three months to become fully effective at their job. After the company updated its SOPs with enough imagery and clearer articulation and added a skills matrix, new employees became effective in about four hours.

A procedure lists the necessary steps to complete a task, particularly those in a process or cycle. You usually assign sequential numbers to the steps in a procedure which may also contain substeps. In general, instructional procedures should contain no more than seven steps. Below, we use the example of a procedure for washing dishes in an industrial dishwasher:.

SOPs detail procedures that you use in your organization to perform activities according to industry and statutory standards, as well as your internal specifications. Procedures include any documents that describe how to perform an action, whether in words or pictures, in print or online.

SOPs are an important part of a quality management system. Standard operating procedures describe the recurring tasks in a quality operation. Written SOPs reduce errors by detailing the required manner for performing a task. When you update processes and training plans, you should also update the SOPs. When you follow this method, SOPs become a means for notifying employees of process changes.

You need not only to format your SOPs, but also to store them, so everyone can easily access them. Software can help. Business process management software, for example, allows you to store procedures online and track usage from one view. The following are some of the different products you can use to create, review, update, and publish your documents:.

Standardization and SOPs are the outcomes of industrialization, specifically the effort to prevent major accidents. The train disaster in Pennsylvania occurred when railway engineers in two trains approaching an intersection acted on conflicting interpretations of the rules of the road. The public remonstrations led to the standardization of procedures and what we now know as SOPs.

The dramatic example set by the accident showed that unconsidered processes and informal communication cause problems. The example also illustrated how step-by-step procedures clarify processes. Another option to consider to work around these issues is DeskAlerts. DeskAlerts is an internal communications software system that sends pop-up notifications to desktops and push notifications to mobile devices.

The messages display in a way that cannot be skipped or ignored — making it the perfect way to communicate critical policy and procedure changes. You can send hints and tips and reminders via a less intrusive scrolling ticker tape. Or use it to deploy a specially designed corporate screensaver or corporate wallpaper explaining the key points of the changes.

DeskAlerts also allows you to send compliance alerts - your employees must confirm that they have read the policy before they close the alert window. As with any good internal communications approach, the best ways to communicate policy changes include:.

Do you want to know more? Request a free online demo. Topics: Change Management. Send urgent notifications to any corporate devices: PCs, phones, tablets, etc. Bypass information overload. Deliver key information even if the computer is on screensaver mode, locked or sleeping. Not only that, but a professional letter can reflect well on your business as a whole.

Please note that we are not your career or legal advisor, and none of the information provided herein guarantees a job offer. Post a job. Find resumes. Help Center. Find jobs. Post a Job. Post a Job Are you a job seeker? They are applying to rent a home, and the property management company wants to confirm they can afford their deposit, rent payment, maintenance and other associated costs. As a new start up bank, I found the product very useful by giving us a jump start in producing our policies and procedures manuals as per international standards.

I recommend it to anyone who does not have the time and budget to develop the policies and procedures from scratch. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Add to Wishlist. Product added! Browse Wishlist. The product is already in the wishlist!

Company IT Policies and Procedures Manual A well written Company IT policies and procedures Manual reduces operating costs and improves performance by enhancing consistency and establishing clear criteria for computer, network, hardware, software, information security, and IT vendor management.

What is the proper method of disposing of IT assets? How does your IT purchasing policy approve and manage new IT vendors, suppliers, or contractors? How do you gauge IT satisfaction?

What is a Social Media Policy? What is the Information Security Policy for handling computer malware? How do you identify and prevent computer security incidents or provide IT risk assessment? What software programming standards are needed or should in place?

Download free sample IT procedures By playing the role of facilitator, you can help your IT staff and stakeholders collaborate on IT standard operating procedures, critique existing IT processes, modify them as necessary, and agree on a workable process. What is information security policies and procedures? Rated 4. Rod verified owner — June 29, This will be an excellent stepping stone for us to complete documentation required from an audit. Victor verified owner — June 29, I am very happy with the policies and the procedures manual you provided, they are relevant to what we were looking for.

Michael verified owner — June 29, Nicely put together, I lot more professional then I was expecting. Robert verified owner — June 29, Excellent product. Really helped get started on documentation for our growing company.