Operationsv1.02026-01-26

Creating Standard Operating Procedures

How to create, format, and maintain SOPs for the team

Purpose

Establish a consistent process for creating clear, actionable SOPs that the team can follow. This ensures knowledge is documented, processes are repeatable, and new team members can onboard quickly.

Scope

This SOP applies to Jay and all team members who need to document processes. Bob (AI assistant) will facilitate the SOP creation process.

Prerequisites

Access to the Bob Command Center
Clear understanding of the process to be documented
Time to answer clarifying questions from Bob

Process Flow

┌─────────────────────┐
│  Request New SOP    │
└─────────┬───────────┘
          │
          ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│  Bob Asks Questions │
└─────────┬───────────┘
          │
          ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│  Review Structure   │
│  Looks good?        │
└─────────┬───────────┘
          │
     ┌────┴────┐
     │         │
    Yes        No
     │         │
     ▼         ▼
┌─────────┐  ┌─────────────┐
│ Expand  │  │ Adjust with │
│ Details │  │ Bob         │
└────┬────┘  └──────┬──────┘
     │              │
     └──────┬───────┘
            │
            ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│  Review Final Draft │
└─────────┬───────────┘
          │
          ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│  Approve & Publish  │
└─────────────────────┘

Procedure

Initiate SOP Request

Tell Bob you want to create a new SOP and provide the topic or process name.

Identify the process that needs documentationConsider who will use this SOPHave examples or edge cases in mind

Answer Discovery Questions

Bob will ask clarifying questions to understand the full scope of the process.

Describe the goal/outcome of the processList the main steps at a high levelIdentify any prerequisites or dependenciesNote any common mistakes or pitfalls

Review Draft Structure

Bob will propose an SOP structure with sections. Confirm or adjust.

Verify all major steps are capturedCheck that the order makes senseAdd any missing edge cases

Expand Each Section

Work through each section to add detail, checklists, and decision points.

Add specific sub-steps where neededInclude checklist items for verificationAdd flowchart decision points if applicable

Add Troubleshooting

Document common issues and their solutions.

List common problems that occurProvide solutions or workaroundsInclude escalation paths if needed

Review Final Draft

Bob will provide a link to review the complete SOP.

Read through the entire SOPTest the steps mentally or practicallyCheck for clarity and completeness

Approve and Publish

Confirm the SOP is ready. It goes live immediately.

Give final approval to BobSOP is added to the Command CenterTeam can access it immediately

Maintain Over Time

Update the SOP when processes change. Tell Bob to update it.

Review SOPs periodically for accuracyUpdate when processes changeVersion is incremented automatically

Expected Outcomes

A clear, actionable SOP in checklist/flowchart format
Documented in the Bob Command Center for easy access
Team members can follow the process independently

Troubleshooting

Process is too complex for a single SOP

Break it into multiple related SOPs and link them together.

Steps vary based on situation

Use decision points (flowchart style) to branch the process.

SOP becomes outdated

Tell Bob to update the SOP. Only the latest version is kept.