A standard operating procedure template for agency tasks

The template

• Name and purpose: [short task name, and one sentence on the result it gives]
• Owner and backup: [role or name for each]
• When to use it, and when not: [the trigger, and the exception]
• Inputs: [access, files, sheets and tools needed before starting]
• Steps: [short, in order, each with a done signal]
• Checks: [how the result is verified, and by whom]
• Records: [where the output and the log entry go]
• If it goes wrong: [who to tell, and within how long]
• Version and review date: [version number, date, next review]

Keep it current

• Review it after any incident, and at least once a year.
• Write it for the newest person on the team, not for yourself.