Create your first SOP

There are six ways to create an SOP. They all end in the same place: a normal SOP with cards and steps that you can edit afterwards. You need the editor, admin or owner role.

Before you start: pick a library

SOPs live in libraries, and libraries live in pillars. If the pillar you want has no library yet:

1. On Boards, click the pillar.
2. Click + Library. A library called “New library” appears with its name ready to edit.
3. Type a name, such as “Client onboarding”, and press Enter.

1. Write it yourself

Best for short procedures you can type out quickly.

1. In the library’s column, click + SOP.
2. Enter a Title.
3. Under Which departments is this for?, pick at least one department. The library’s defaults are already selected.
4. Optionally, under Does it belong in any other pillar too?, pick other pillars it should show in.
5. Click Create SOP. The new SOP opens.
6. Click Edit, then Add the first card. Give the card a title, add an introduction if you like, and click + Add step for each step.
7. Click Done to save.

See Editing SOPs: cards, steps and the card editor for everything the editor can do.

2. Import a document

Best for procedures already written in Word, PDF, Markdown or plain text, or an audio recording of you explaining one.

1. In the library’s column, click Import.
2. Click Choose a file.
3. SOPCompass reads it and drafts an SOP with cards and steps. A summary at the top says what was dropped or had to be inferred.
4. Review the draft, remove any card or step you do not want, pick the departments and click Create this SOP.

For a Google Doc, use File, then Download, then Microsoft Word first. See Importing documents, audio and video.

3. Build with AI (the interview)

Best for a process that lives in someone’s head.

1. Click Build with AI in the top menu.
2. Choose Start a new SOP and click Start the new SOP.
3. Answer the questions by typing, or switch to Talk and answer out loud.
4. When the AI says there is enough to draft, click to draft it, then review and save.

See Build with AI.

4. Record your screen or upload a video

Best for software how-tos and anything you can show on screen, including desktop apps.

1. In the library’s column, click + SOP, pick the departments, then choose Record a process or Upload a video (Loom, Zoom or any video file).
2. Do the task and talk it through, then click Stop and write the steps. Or wait while your uploaded video is read.
3. Review the drafted steps and screenshots and click Create the SOP with (the button shows the number of steps).

The original video stays in the SOP, and each step gets a Watch this step button. See Screen recordings and videos.

5. Capture a web task with the Chrome extension

Best for click paths in a CRM, billing tool or any web app.

1. Install SOPCompass Capture from the Capture a workflow page (see the link below).
2. In the extension, click Connect, pick the workspace and a new or existing SOP, and click Start capture.
3. Do the task. Each click, choice and field becomes a step with a screenshot.
4. Click Stop and review, tidy the steps and click Publish.

See The SOPCompass Capture extension.

6. Improve an SOP you already have

If an SOP exists but is out of date, open it, click More, then Improve with AI. The AI reads it, asks what changed and proposes an updated version for you to compare and save.

Which one should I use?

Note: Whichever you pick, nothing the AI drafts is saved until you review it. After saving, every SOP can be edited like any other, and every change is kept in version history.

Next: Publish and assign your first SOP.