They may seem simple, but standard operating procedures (SOPs) are surprisingly tricky. On the surface, they describe how a specific process is carried out at your organization. Pretty straightforward, right?

In reality, there are a lot of requirements for writing a good SOP, and auditors have a sharp eye out for any missing components and unclear steps.

Here’s what you need to know to write GxP-compliant SOPs—including a free SOP template and examples you can use to get started.

What’s the purpose of an SOP?

An SOP has one main job: Clearly define how your team executes a process so that anyone reading it knows exactly what happens, who does it, and when. It takes a repeatable process and ensures it gets carried out the same way every time.

 …