How to Write Work Instructions: Free Template and Examples

By Nicole Hullihen, former SaaS Chief Operating Officer and Microsoft MVP · Updated November 1, 2026

An SOP tells employees what process to follow. A work instruction shows them exactly how to do one task in that process, step by step. When a new hire is standing at the dish machine or a technician is replacing a filter for the first time, the work instruction is what they need in front of them.

This guide explains the difference between work instructions and SOPs, how to write instructions that people actually follow and how to keep them up to date. It includes a free work instruction template and examples.

Work Instructions vs. SOPs vs. Checklists

Many SOPs point to several work instructions. For example, a kitchen closing SOP might reference separate instructions for cleaning the fryer, breaking down the slicer and logging fridge temperatures. See SOPs for small business and SOP examples across industries.

Free Work Instruction Template

When You Need Work Instructions

• Tasks new employees often get wrong.
• Tasks that are done rarely, so people forget the steps.
• Tasks with safety risks.
• Tasks where mistakes are expensive, like cash handling or equipment setup.
• Tasks that must be done the same way by every person or location.
• Tasks that customers or inspectors check.

You don't need instructions for everything. Start with the tasks that cause the most mistakes, complaints or rework.

What to Include

How to Write Work Instructions Step by Step

1. Pick one task. Keep each instruction to a single task with a clear start and finish.
2. Watch an expert do it. Write down every step, including the ones they do without thinking.
3. Write steps in order. One action per step, starting with a verb.
4. Add key points. Note the details that make the step succeed, such as temperatures, settings or measurements.
5. Add photos or diagrams. Show the right setup, the right result or the part to look for.
6. Add safety warnings before the step where the hazard appears.
7. Define "done." Describe or show what a correctly finished task looks like.
8. Test it with a new person. Have someone who has never done the task follow it while you watch silently.
9. Fix the confusing parts and test again.
10. Approve, number and publish it where employees can reach it at the job.

Writing Clear Steps

• Start every step with an action verb: turn, remove, check, record.
• Use one action per step.
• Use the words employees use on the floor, not technical jargon.
• Give exact numbers: temperatures, amounts, times, settings.
• Keep sentences short.
• Put warnings before the step, not after.

Photos, Videos and Visuals

A photo of the correct setup often explains more than a paragraph. Take photos at the job with the actual equipment, mark the important part with an arrow or circle and show both the right and wrong result when mistakes are common. Short videos work well for physical tasks, but keep a written version so employees can follow along step by step.

Safety Notes in Work Instructions

If a task involves chemicals, machinery, heat, electricity or lifting, include the hazard, the protective equipment needed and the step where the risk appears. Work instructions support your safety training; they don't replace it. For tasks that require energy isolation, follow your written lockout/tagout procedure, and for chemical tasks refer to your hazard communication program.

Example: Closing the Cash Drawer (Retail)

1. Print the end-of-day register report.
2. Remove the drawer and take it to the office.
3. Count each bill type and record totals on the count sheet.
4. Count coins by type and record totals.
5. Subtract the starting cash amount.
6. Compare the result with cash sales on the report.
7. Record any overage or shortage and initial the sheet.
8. Place the deposit in the bag and lock it in the safe.

See the cash drawer count sheet.

Example: Cleaning a Meat Slicer (Restaurant)

1. Turn the slicer off and unplug it.
2. Put on cut-resistant gloves.
3. Set the blade thickness to zero.
4. Remove the product tray and blade guard.
5. Wash removable parts in the dish sink, rinse and sanitize.
6. Wipe the blade from the center outward with sanitizer.
7. Let all parts air dry, then reassemble.
8. Record the cleaning on the cleaning log.

Example: Receiving a Delivery (Warehouse)

1. Check the delivery against the purchase order.
2. Count cartons and compare with the packing slip.
3. Inspect for damage before signing.
4. Note shortages or damage on the delivery receipt.
5. Move product to the receiving area.
6. Record received quantities in the system.
7. Send the packing slip to accounts payable.

See the purchase order template.

Testing Work Instructions

The best test is to hand the instruction to someone who has never done the task and watch without helping. Every time they hesitate, ask a question or make a mistake, the instruction needs work. Repeat until a new person can complete the task correctly from the instruction alone.

Version Control

• Give each instruction a number and version.
• Record the effective date and who approved it.
• Remove old printed copies when a new version is published.
• Review instructions when equipment, products or methods change.
• Keep one master copy so there's only one "latest."

See how to organize and control SOPs.

Training With Work Instructions

Use work instructions as the script for on-the-job training: the trainer demonstrates, the employee follows the instruction with the trainer watching and then the employee does it alone. Record when each employee was trained on each instruction. See the employee training log.

Common Mistakes

• Writing from memory instead of watching the task.
• Combining several tasks into one long document.
• Vague steps like "clean properly."
• Warnings at the end instead of before the risky step.
• No photos for visual tasks.
• Never testing with a new employee.
• Old versions still taped to the wall.

Work Instruction Checklist

Work Instruction Formats

Choose the simplest format that lets a new employee complete the task correctly. Many teams start with numbered steps and add photos where mistakes happen.

Key Points and Reasons

A useful technique from job instruction training is to add a key point and a reason to important steps. The key point says what makes the step succeed, and the reason explains why it matters. Employees who understand why are more likely to follow the step when no one is watching.

Writing for Employees Who Speak Other Languages

If your team includes employees who read better in another language, provide translated versions of key work instructions. Photos and simple words help everyone. Keep translations on the same version number as the English instruction and update them together, so one version doesn't fall behind.

Where to Post Work Instructions

• At the workstation, in a sheet protector or on a laminated card.
• In a binder at the station for longer instructions.
• In an app or shared folder employees can open on a phone or tablet.
• Linked by QR code on the equipment, so scanning opens the latest version.

Wherever you post them, make sure there's only one current version and that old copies are removed when instructions change.

Who Should Write Work Instructions?

The best writer is often the most experienced person who does the task, paired with someone who can make the writing clear. A manager or trainer can interview the expert, draft the steps and then have the expert check them. The person who owns the process should approve the final version.

How Many Work Instructions Do You Need?

Start small. List the 10 tasks that cause the most mistakes, safety concerns or training time, and write instructions for those first. Add more as you hire, buy new equipment or notice recurring errors. A handful of well-used instructions is worth more than a hundred nobody reads.

Measuring Whether Instructions Work

Track signs that instructions are helping: fewer errors and rework, shorter training time, fewer customer complaints and fewer questions to managers. When the same mistake keeps happening, check whether the instruction covers it clearly before blaming the employee. Ask employees which instructions are confusing or outdated; they know first.

Work Instructions for Remote and Field Employees

Technicians, drivers and crews often work far from a manager who can answer questions. Give them instructions they can open on their phones, with photos of the equipment they'll actually see in the field. Include who to call when a step doesn't work as described, and update instructions quickly when field employees report problems.

Common Questions From Employees

• "What if the instruction is wrong?" Stop, tell your supervisor and don't guess on safety steps.
• "Can I do it a faster way?" Suggest it. If it's better and safe, the instruction will be updated.
• "Do I need to follow it every time?" Yes, especially for safety and quality steps, even after you know the task well.
• "Where do I find the latest version?" In the posted location or app, never an old printout.

Linking Work Instructions to Your SOP Library

Keep work instructions in the same system as your SOPs, with each SOP linking to the instructions it uses and each instruction naming its parent SOP. When a process changes, you can quickly see which instructions need updating. A simple numbering pattern, such as SOP-12 for the closing procedure and WI-12.3 for one of its tasks, makes the connection obvious.

Work Instructions and Quality Checks

Build quality checks into the instruction itself. After key steps, add a quick check, such as "Confirm the temperature reads 165°F" or "Confirm all six bolts are tight." At the end, describe what a finished job should look like, ideally with a photo. Supervisors can use the same standard to spot-check work, so feedback is based on the instruction, not personal preference.

Retiring Old Work Instructions

When a task is no longer done, or equipment is replaced, retire its work instruction. Mark it retired in your library with the date and reason, remove posted copies and point employees to the replacement instruction if there is one. Retiring old instructions keeps employees from following steps for equipment you no longer use.

Final Thoughts

Good work instructions turn your best employee's know-how into something every employee can follow. Write one task at a time, watch the task being done, use clear verbs and photos, test with a new person and keep only one current version. Start with the tasks that cause the most mistakes, and build your library from there.

Store Work Instructions With Updoot

Updoot's SOP management keeps SOPs and work instructions in one place, tracks versions and lets employees open the latest instruction from their phone at the job.

Frequently Asked Questions