When equipment breaks down unexpectedly, do your technicians scramble to figure out the right repair process? Inconsistent approaches to these types of issues can result in wasted time, create safety risks, and often lead to incomplete repairs that cause repeat failures.
Standard operating procedure (SOP) templates eliminate this chaos by giving your team clear, repeatable processes for every maintenance task.
Key takeaways
- Effective SOP templates need six core components: title, scope, roles, steps, safety requirements, and revision tracking to eliminate guesswork for your team.
- The best procedures combine field experience with technical knowledge and safety oversight. Work with your team to develop SOPs.
- Field test your completed SOPs with actual technicians and equipment before making them official to catch real-world problems.
- Plan revision reviews 30-60 days after implementation to incorporate lessons learned from daily use.
What are the components of a standard operating procedure template?
Every effective standard operating procedure template needs six core components to ensure your procedures are clear, actionable, and compliant.
Title and purpose
Clear, descriptive titles eliminate confusion before your technicians even start reading the procedure. Your SOP title should immediately tell someone what equipment, process, or task the procedure covers and what outcome it achieves.
Write titles that answer "what" and "when" in specific terms:
- Good: "Weekly Conveyor Belt Lubrication Procedure"
- Avoid: "Conveyor Maintenance SOP #3"
Follow your title with a purpose statement that explains why this procedure exists and what successful completion looks like.
Example purpose statement: "This procedure ensures proper lubrication of conveyor belt systems to maintain optimal performance, prevent premature wear, and reduce unplanned downtime during production shifts."
Scope
Define precisely what, where, and when your SOP covers to prevent confusion and avoid costly mistakes. The scope section should specify:
- Equipment models or asset types covered by this procedure
- When to use this procedure (scheduled maintenance, after 500 hours, when warning lights appear)
- Facility areas or departments where you'll use it
- How often to perform this procedure (every 30 days, after each shift, when pressure drops below 80 PSI)
- What's not covered—Explicitly list similar equipment, situations, or conditions where this procedure doesn't apply
Example scope: This procedure applies to all Model XYZ-2000 conveyor belt systems in the packaging department. Use during scheduled weekly maintenance only. Perform every Monday at 6 AM during production shutdown. Do not use for Model XYZ-1500 systems or emergency repairs.
Roles and responsibilities
Clearly assign tasks to eliminate confusion and ensure accountability. Your roles section should identify:
- Primary performers: Who executes the main procedure steps?
- Supervisors: Who approves work start and completion?
- Support roles: Who provides assistance, materials, or specialized skills?
- Safety oversight: Who monitors compliance and emergency response?
Structure roles by function, not individual names, so your SOP remains valid when personnel change. Include required qualifications, certifications, or training for each role.
Example roles breakdown:
- Lead technician: Performs lubrication procedure, documents completion (requires Level 2 maintenance certification)
- Maintenance supervisor: Reviews work quality, signs off on completion
- Safety monitor: Ensures lockout/tagout compliance during belt access
Steps
Write each step as a single, specific action using active voice and clear language.
Structure your steps:
- Number each action sequentially for easy reference and tracking.
- Use action verbs that tell technicians exactly what to do.
- Include specific measurements, settings, or tolerances when critical.
- Add verification checkpoints after important actions.
- Note any special tools or materials needed for each step.
Break complex procedures into logical phases, like preparation, execution, and cleanup.
Example step format:
Step 1: Gather 30W gear oil, oil gun, and clean rags. Verify oil temperature is between 60-80°F before application.
Step 2: Remove inspection cover using 1/2" socket wrench. Set cover aside on clean surface.
Step 3: Apply 2-3 drops of 30W gear oil to bearing housing #2 through designated oil port.
- Verify: Oil appears in sight glass within 30 seconds.
Step 4: Reinstall inspection cover and tighten bolts to 25 ft-lbs torque specification.
- Checkpoint: All four bolts secure, no visible gaps around cover seal.
Step 5: Document oil level and bearing temperature in maintenance log. Record any unusual noises or vibrations observed during procedure.
Safety and compliance requirements
Your technicians should understand risks before starting work. The safety section of an SOP should cover:
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) required for the entire procedure
- Lockout/tagout procedures for equipment isolation
- Environmental hazards and mitigation steps
- Emergency procedures and contact information
- Regulatory compliance requirements specific to your industry
Make safety visual and specific. Instead of "use appropriate PPE," specify "wear safety glasses, steel-toed boots, and cut-resistant gloves when handling belt components."
Include compliance checkboxes for regulatory requirements, like OSHA standards, FDA regulations, or industry-specific protocols. This creates written proof that you followed required procedures when inspectors or auditors review your records.
Example safety requirements:
- Required PPE: Safety glasses, steel-toed boots, cut-resistant gloves
- Lockout: Follow facility LOTO procedure #125 before accessing belt drive components
- Hazard: Pinch points at roller connections. Maintain 3-foot clearance during operation
Revision history and approvals
Track changes systematically to maintain procedure accuracy and regulatory compliance. Your revision section should document:
- Version numbers with clear numbering system
- Revision dates
- Description of changes made
- Approval signatures from authorized personnel
- Next review date for scheduled updates
Create an approval workflow that includes technical review, safety verification, and management sign-off. This ensures procedures stay current with equipment modifications, regulatory changes, and lessons learned from field experience.
Example revision table:
Additionally, archive all superseded SOP versions as a best practice to align with ISO 9001 and FDA documentation recommendations.
How to write a standard operating procedure using a template
Once you have a preferred SOP template, here's how to transform it into a working maintenance procedure for your facility.
Gather information and stakeholders
Assemble your SOP team. The best procedures come from combining field experience with technical knowledge and safety oversight. For most facilities, a typical SOP team includes:
- Lead technician who regularly performs the specific maintenance procedure for which you're writing the SOP
- Maintenance supervisor who understands workflow and resource requirements
- Safety coordinator to ensure compliance and hazard identification
- Equipment manufacturer representative (if available) for technical specifications
Collect specific information from multiple sources:
From your lead technician:
- Current step-by-step process they follow
- Common problems and workarounds
- Tools and materials needed
- Time required for completion
- Safety concerns from field experience
From your maintenance supervisor:
- Resource availability and scheduling constraints
- Integration with other maintenance activities
- Parts ordering and inventory requirements
- Quality standards and acceptance criteria
- Workflow dependencies and priorities
From your safety coordinator:
- Applicable safety regulations and standards
- Required PPE and safety equipment
- Lockout/tagout procedures for this equipment
- Emergency response procedures
- Previous incident reports or safety concerns
From equipment manufacturer representative (if available):
- Recommended maintenance procedures
- Warranty requirements and restrictions
- Troubleshooting guides and common issues
From your facility documentation:
- Approved suppliers and parts lists
- Potential compliance protocols not covered by safety coordinator
Fill in each section clearly
Open your template and work through each section systematically.
Step 1: Complete the header information
Start with the template's title section and work your way down.
- Template field: [Procedure Name]
- Example entry: Weekly Conveyor Belt Lubrication - Packaging Line A
- Template field: [Purpose Statement]
- Example entry: Maintain optimal belt performance and prevent premature wear through proper lubrication
- Template field: [Scope - Equipment/Location/Frequency]
- Example entry: Applies to Model XYZ-2000 systems in packaging department, performed every Monday at 6 AM during production shutdown
Step 2: Fill in roles using template structure
The templates provide role categories where you can add your specific team assignments.
- Template shows: [Primary Performer - Qualifications Required]
- Example entry: Lead Technician (Level 2 certified) - Performs lubrication, documents completion
- Template shows: [Supervisor/Approver]
- Example entry: Maintenance Supervisor - Reviews work quality, approves procedure completion
Step 3: Replace step placeholders with actual procedures
Fill in your specific actions.
- Template format: Step 1: [Action with specific details]
- Example entry: Step 1: Gather 30W gear oil, oil gun, safety glasses, and work gloves from maintenance storage room
- Template format: Verification: [Check or measurement]
- Example entry: Verification: Oil gun pressure gauge reads 50-60 PSI before use
Step 4: Complete safety sections using template checkboxes
Check applicable items and add your specific requirements.
Step 5: Use revision tracking table
The templates include pre-formatted revision tables. Fill in your version information.
Example entry:
Review, test, and approve
Test your completed template in the field before formalizing it. Whether you test digitally on a mobile device or print paper copies, the key is having technicians follow the procedure exactly as written while you observe and take notes on any issues that arise.
Conduct a field test with your completed template
- Hand your filled template to a qualified technician and have them follow it exactly while you observe.
- Time each step and compare to any time estimates you included in the template.
- Mark up your template with notes about confusion, missing information, or safety concerns.
- Test with a less experienced technician using the same completed template to catch assumptions.
Example of what you might find during your field test:
When testing a conveyor lubrication procedure, step 3 actually took 8 minutes, instead of the estimated 5 minutes. The technician also couldn't find the "oil port" mentioned in step 5 because it wasn't clearly described in the SOP.
Halfway through the procedure, safety glasses fogged up during step 7, making it difficult to see what was happening. The biggest issue was a completely missing step; nobody had included cleaning the oil residue off the bearing housing exterior, which left a mess and potential slip hazard.
These kinds of real-world problems are exactly why field testing matters. Your written procedure might look perfect on paper, but it needs to work with actual equipment, real technicians, and the conditions on your shop floor.
Revise your template based on test results
Based on the field test example above, you'd need to make several updates to your template:
- Update step 5 to be more specific: Apply oil to bearing housing oil port (located on east side, marked with red arrow)
- Add a completely new step: Step 8: Wipe excess oil from housing exterior with clean rag
- Adjust time estimate in template header: Estimated completion time: 25 minutes
Get your approvals in the right order
The templates include signature blocks and approval tracking that you complete in sequence:
- Technical review: Lead technician and maintenance supervisor check your completed template for accuracy.
- Safety review: Safety coordinator examines the template for compliance and hazard mitigation.
- Management approval: Department manager reviews resource requirements and signs off on the procedure.
Document who approved what and when.
Your completed template is now ready to become your official SOP. Save the original template file as your master version, and distribute copies to your team for daily use.
Once you start using the procedure regularly, plan your first revision review for 30-60 days after implementation to incorporate any lessons learned from real-world use.
Standard operating procedure (SOP) templates
The content and complexity of SOPs vary widely depending on your business and processes. Some procedures are simple checklists, while others are comprehensive guides for complex scenarios. Templates provide a proven structure to start from, and you can customize them with your specific equipment, safety requirements, and company procedures.
These popular MaintainX templates offer practical starting points that you can adapt for your facility's needs:
Manufacturing SOP template
Our downloadable maintenance standard operating procedure template is ideal for jobs that require pre-operational safety inspections, compliance with regulations, quality control procedures, production inspections, walkthroughs, and corrective actions.
Use this template to create SOPs for anything from simple inspections to full walkthroughs to quality control procedures.
Sanitation SOP template
Our free sanitation standard operating procedure template is ideal for professionals who need compliance support with sanitation protocols in their workplace.
Provide clear headings and enter the effective date. Then add requirements specific to your workplace, including approved cleaning agents, labeling and storage requirements, priority of operations, corrective action protocols, and other relevant details.
The template includes signature fields at the bottom where supervisors can sign off to approve completed work.
Warehouse SOP template
Our free warehouse standard operating procedure template is for regular maintenance, operations, inspections, and compliance performed during routine warehouse operations.
This template simplifies complex warehouse operations, covering everything from order approvals to receiving and inspection procedures in an easy-to-follow format.
Restaurant SOP template
Our downloadable restaurant standard operating procedure template makes it easy to build and print procedures at any location.
Complete with everything from hygiene requirements for staff and food safety to inventory management, food preparation, and more, this template will set your restaurant up for success.
Download now: Standard Operating Procedure Templates
If you’re looking for more options, browse our Global Procedure Library for additional industry-specific templates and ready-to-use procedures.
Can you digitize SOPs with a CMMS?
Yes. A modern computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) like MaintainX transforms your SOP templates into mobile-friendly checklists that technicians can access and update in real time from any device.
No more outdated versions, lost documentation, or illegible handwriting. Updates happen instantly across your team, and every completed procedure creates automatic records for compliance.
See how MaintainX transforms SOPs into dynamic, mobile checklists that your team will actually use. Discover MaintainX checklists and inspections.
Standard operating procedure FAQs
What is the difference between an SOP and a work order?
A standard operating procedure is a step-by-step guide that shows how to perform specific tasks consistently, while a work order assigns that task to team members with scheduling and resource details.
Think of the SOP as your detailed instruction manual, and the work order as the assignment that tells someone to follow those instructions.
For example, your SOP document might contain step-by-step instructions for "Weekly Conveyor Belt Lubrication," while the work order assigns that procedure to a specific technician on a particular date. The work order references the SOP, tracks completion status, and integrates with your maintenance workflow for streamlined operations.
How often should SOPs be updated or revised?
Review your standard operating procedure template every 6-12 months or immediately when equipment changes, safety regulations update, or team members identify problems during routine tasks. Align with compliance and regulatory requirements, as some industries require a stricter review cycle.Your revision history should track these updates to maintain quality control and compliance.
Equipment modifications and process improvements often reveal gaps in your procedure document that need attention. Schedule regular reviews with stakeholders who are directly involved in the maintenance work. This continuous improvement approach ensures that your SOPs remain current and valuable for training new team members.
What is the best format for creating SOPs?
Microsoft Word and Google Docs are well-suited for creating basic SOPs when you're starting out or working with static documents. However, modern CMMS platforms, like MaintainX, allow you to create SOPs directly within the system as digital checklists and procedures.
Creating SOPs natively in your CMMS offers advantages like real-time updates, mobile access, and automatic integration with work orders. Your SOP format should include clear headings, numbered step-by-step instructions, and sections for safety requirements, regardless of whether you use traditional documents or digital platforms.
Consider flowcharts for complex maintenance processes with decision points, but keep routine tasks in simple formats. Whether you create your own SOP or use a free SOP template file, consistency across your maintenance processes is key.
What tools or software can make managing SOPs easier?
Digital CMMS solutions, such as MaintainX, streamline SOP management by providing real-time access, automatic revision tracking, and mobile-friendly formats for your maintenance team. These tools eliminate the need to manage multiple free SOP template files and create dashboards for tracking SOP compliance.
Modern maintenance software connects SOPs directly to work orders, making it easier for technicians to access step-by-step guides when they need them. Look for tools that integrate SOP creation with your existing maintenance workflow and provide templates that reduce the time spent on process documentation.
The MaintainX team is made up of maintenance and manufacturing experts. They’re here to share industry knowledge, explain product features, and help workers get more done with MaintainX!
