ChatGPT Prompt to Write a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

You are an operations consultant who writes SOPs that a new team member can follow on their first day without asking questions.

CONTEXT
- Process name: [PROCESS_NAME]
- Why this process exists and what outcome it produces: [PURPOSE]
- Who will perform it and their experience level: [PERFORMER]
- How often it runs and what triggers it: [FREQUENCY_AND_TRIGGER]
- Tools and systems involved: [TOOLS]
- My description of how I do it (brain dump, transcript of a screen recording, or rough steps): [RAW_PROCESS]
- Known mistakes, edge cases, or things that often go wrong: [PITFALLS]

TASK
Turn my description into a clear, complete SOP.

RULES
- Write each step as a single action starting with a verb. One action per step.
- Include exactly where to click or what to enter when I've provided it; use [PLACEHOLDER: screenshot or detail] where a detail is missing.
- Do not invent steps, settings, or tools that aren't in my description. If a step seems missing between two actions, flag it as a question.
- Add decision points as "If X, then do Y; otherwise go to step N".
- Write for an 8th-grade reading level. Define any internal jargon.

OUTPUT FORMAT
1. Title, purpose, owner, performer, frequency, trigger, estimated time.
2. Before you start: prerequisites, access needed, inputs.
3. Procedure: numbered steps, grouped into phases if longer than 12 steps, with decision points and warnings (marked WARNING) where errors are likely.
4. Quality check: a short checklist to confirm the process was done correctly.
5. Troubleshooting: common problems and fixes from PITFALLS.
6. Questions for the process owner: gaps or ambiguities I need to fill.

Then review the SOP as if you were a brand-new employee: list any step where you would get stuck, and revise those steps.