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SOP examples: three copyable procedures for IT, support and HR

Reviewed 30 October 2026.

Most people searching for SOP examples want to see what a finished procedure looks like before writing their own. Below are three short examples from different teams. Each one is deliberately small: one task, one starting state, one checkable result. Copy the one closest to your work and replace the bracketed parts with your own system names and rules.

These are illustrations, not policies. Your tools, approvals and legal requirements will differ, so treat every example as a draft that someone who does the task must test. If you want the blank structure instead, use the free SOP template.

What the three examples have in common

• A trigger and an end state. The reader knows when to start and how to tell they are finished.
• One action per step, with the expected result. "Select Reset password" is the action; "a confirmation banner appears" is the check.
• Stop conditions. Each example says when not to continue and who to ask.
• No secrets. They name where a value comes from, never the value itself.

Example 1: IT helpdesk, reset a user's password

# SOP: Reset a user's password in [directory / admin console]
Owner: [IT lead]   Reviewed: [date]

Starts when: a ticket asks for a password reset.
Ends when: the user has signed in with a temporary password and the ticket is updated.

## Before starting
- Confirm the requester's identity using [approved method, e.g. call-back to the number on file].
- Stop if identity cannot be confirmed. Escalate to [role].

## Steps
1. Open [admin console] and search for the user by [employee ID or email].
   Expected: exactly one matching account. If more than one, stop and check the ticket.
2. Select "Reset password" and choose "Require change at next sign-in".
   Expected: a confirmation message appears.
3. Send the temporary password through [approved channel]. Do not put it in the ticket.
4. Ask the user to sign in and set a new password.
   Expected: the user reaches [home screen].
5. Update the ticket: "Password reset, identity confirmed by [method]". Close it.

## If different
- Account is locked: follow [unlock procedure].
- User has no access to the approved channel: escalate to [role].

What makes this one work: the identity check comes before the first click, and step 3 says where the temporary password must not go. A screenshot of the "Reset password" button in step 2 is useful; a screenshot of a real user's account page is not, so review images before sharing (see the redaction checklist).

Example 2: Customer support, process a refund

# SOP: Process a refund for an eligible order
Owner: [support lead]   Reviewed: [date]

Starts when: a customer requests a refund by [channel].
Ends when: the refund is issued, the customer is told, and the order note is added.

## Before starting
- Check the order is within [refund window, e.g. 30 days] and not already refunded.
- Stop and escalate to [role] if the amount is over [your limit].

## Steps
1. Open the order in [store / payment dashboard] using the order number.
   Expected: order status shows "Paid" and no previous refund.
2. Select "Refund", enter the amount, and choose the reason from the list.
   Expected: a summary shows the amount and the payment method.
3. Confirm the refund.
   Expected: status changes to "Refunded" or "Refund pending".
4. Reply to the customer using [template name]. Include the amount and the expected time to appear on their statement.
5. Add an order note: date, amount, reason, your initials.

## If different
- Status stays "Pending" after [time]: check [payment provider status page], then escalate.
- Customer asks for more than the order total: do not refund; escalate.

What makes this one work: the limit and the refund window are written down, so a new teammate does not have to guess. The "Expected" line in step 3 covers the common case where a refund is accepted but not instant.

Example 3: HR and operations, set up a new hire laptop

# SOP: Prepare a laptop for a new hire
Owner: [IT or office manager]   Reviewed: [date]

Starts when: HR confirms a start date and role.
Ends when: the laptop is ready, signed for, and the checklist is filed.

## Before starting
- Get the role and start date from [HR record], not from chat.
- Confirm a device is available in [inventory sheet].

## Steps
1. Create the user account in [directory] with the role template for [role].
   Expected: account appears with the correct groups.
2. Enroll the laptop in [device management tool] and apply the [role] profile.
   Expected: device shows "Compliant" within [time].
3. Install the approved software list for [role]. Tick each item on the checklist.
4. Sign in once as the new user to confirm the account works, then sign out.
5. Record the serial number and the person's name in [inventory sheet].
6. Hand over on the start date. Ask the new hire to sign the equipment form.

## If different
- Device does not reach "Compliant": do not hand it over; see [troubleshooting guide].
- Role not in the template list: ask [role owner] which template applies.

What makes this one work: it ends with a handover and a record, so "done" means something. For a longer onboarding flow, see how to document a process for new hires.

How to adapt an example without breaking it

1. Do the task once while a colleague watches. Write down what you actually do, then remove detours.
2. Replace every bracket with a real thing. A bracket you cannot fill is a gap in your process, not in the document.
3. Add screenshots only where the screen is hard to describe. Keep the ones that show the control to find and the result to expect.
4. Have someone who has never done the task follow it. Fix every point where they ask a question out loud.
5. Name an owner and a review date. An SOP nobody maintains goes wrong quietly after the next software update.

Short procedures like these are easy to keep in a shared document. For longer ones with many screens, you may prefer to capture screenshots as you go. The free screenshot guide maker turns a set of images and notes into an editable Word guide in your browser, and for the difference between an SOP, work instructions and a checklist, see how to write work instructions.