Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are the

documented processes that a company has in

place to ensure services and/or products are
delivered consistently every time while meeting
minimum quality standards. In practical terms,
most SOPs are written as a step-by-step series of
operating instructions that can show employees
what they need to do to accomplish a given task.
SOPs are designed to ensure an efficient, quality
output on a consistent basis, regardless of who
follows them.

Put simply, SOPs are step-by-step documentation of work-related tasks.

Well-done standard operating procedures remove the guesswork necessary
to complete assignments.

With SOPs in hand, employees no longer waste valuable time thinking about
what they should do, how they should do it, and which tools they need.
Furthermore, SOPs ensure specific tasks are completed in the same manner
each time, thus delivering the same output every time.