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
- Copy the whole template — the structure matters as much as the words.
- Replace every bracketed placeholder with your real details. Vague inputs produce vague output.
- Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini and let it finish before you judge it.
- 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.
More free prompts
A template does not know your business. The Prompt Engineer does the asking for you.