This standard operating procedure (SOP) example is only one of many SOP projects that we have written. By far, an SOP is one of the most needed types of documents in the business world. Without documented procedures, employees, and sometimes customers and clients, do not know what step to take next.
A large multi-national transportation company.
Every quarter, a budget analyst generates a complex financial report for the Accounting Department. The process consists of numerous steps across two different systems. Because of its complexity, only one employee knows all of the steps required to create the report, and that employee found it difficult to remember all of the details each quarter. She needed a guide to help her generate the report each quarter. Writing Connections was tasked with documenting the entire workflow in a clear, accurate, and comprehensive SOP so that the budget analyst had a resource to use, a training tool was developed, and company knowledge was retained.
To ensure clarity, completeness, and precision, Writing Connections designed an SOP that provided background information, pre-requisites, a process summary, and detailed steps visualized with screenshots as appropriate. Our documentation process centered on real-time collaboration:
We met with the Subject Matter Expert (SME) and the client team in a series of recorded calls. During these sessions, the SME walked through each part of the financial reporting process while we asked clarifying questions, observed system behaviors, and identified information gaps. The recorded format allowed us to revisit complex segments and maintain accuracy while drafting.
Through careful analysis of the SME’s walkthrough, we broke out the procedure into seven major steps, each containing numerous sub-steps and system interactions. This structure created a clear and logical framework for the SOP.
While documenting, we discovered that portions of the process were changing mid-project. We revisited steps with the SME, updated the workflow, and validated all revisions immediately to ensure alignment with the most current procedure.
The resulting draft included an introduction to the process, definitions, detailed sub-steps, system screenshots (if applicable), and decision logic—everything a new analyst would need to complete the report accurately.
To guarantee both correctness and usability, we submitted the draft to:
This dual review process ensured that the SOP was both precise and practical for the team members that would ultimately use it.
With final approval from all stakeholders, we delivered the completed SOP ensuring the team had exactly what they needed before the employee unexpectedly left the company.
We produced an SOP deliverable that clearly outlined each phase of the process and detailed every step required to generate the complex financial report. The document met the budget analyst’s needs and allowed the user to consistently produce the quarterly report while ensuring that the business would not have to rely solely on one individual’s knowledge of the process.
Our client was very pleased with the SOP, especially when the SME providing the information left the company unexpectedly. The SOP was available as a resource and training document for the next employee assigned to the task. The client now has permanent, detailed documentation that can be used in a myriad of ways.
If you are ready to tackle your next SOP and want someone experienced to guide you through the process, we are ready to talk.
