Operations · Engineered

Turn Messy Notes Into an SOP Someone Else Can Run

Document a process so a new person completes it correctly the first time.

Convert my notes into a standard operating procedure written for someone doing this for the first time.

Process name: [NAME]
Who performs it: [ROLE and experience level]
How often: [FREQUENCY]
Tools and access required: [TOOLS]
What "done correctly" looks like: [DESIRED OUTCOME]
My messy notes: [PASTE EVERYTHING — out of order is fine]

Return in this structure:
1. Purpose — why this process exists and what breaks if it is skipped
2. Trigger — the exact event that starts it
3. Prerequisites — access, files, approvals needed before step 1
4. Steps — numbered, each written as a command starting with a verb, one action per step
5. Decision points — "if X, do this; if Y, do that", pulled from my notes
6. Quality check — what to verify before marking it complete
7. Common mistakes and how to catch them
8. Escalation — when to stop and ask a human, and who

RULES
- Use only what is in my notes. Do not invent steps, tools, timings or approvals.
- Where my notes are ambiguous or a step is clearly missing, insert [GAP: what you need from me] inline rather than filling it in.
- No corporate padding. If a section adds nothing for this process, write "not applicable" and move on.

Before you write, list up to 5 gaps that would most affect whether a new person could actually complete this, then write the SOP with those marked.

How to use this prompt

  1. Copy the whole template — the structure matters as much as the words.
  2. Replace every bracketed placeholder with your real details. Vague inputs produce vague output.
  3. Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini and let it finish before you judge it.
  4. Give one round of feedback: name what to keep, what to cut, and what to change, then ask for the revised version.

Why it works

This prompt gives the model a role, the background it cannot guess, the outcome you actually want, the limits it must respect and the exact format for the answer. Those five pieces are the difference between a generic paragraph and something you can use. The words behind them are explained in the prompting glossary.

A template does not know your business. The Prompt Engineer does the asking for you.