How to create an SOP from a video (template + example)

Why teams want to create SOP from video

If you’re trying to create SOP from video, you’re probably in a familiar spot: the process already exists (someone can do it), but it only “lives” in a screen recording or a teammate’s head. The video is helpful, but it’s not scannable, searchable, or easy to update.

This guide shows a practical way to turn a video into a standard operating procedure your team can actually run—plus a template, a concrete example, and a lightweight tools comparison.

What is an SOP (and what it is not)

An SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) is a documented, repeatable process that:

• Has a clear goal and scope
• Defines who does what (roles/ownership)
• Lists steps in the correct order
• Includes decision points and quality checks
• Specifies the “done” criteria

An SOP is not:

• A raw transcript
• A meeting recording
• A long narrative doc with no steps
• A “how I did it once” note

If you want onboarding to be consistent (and support tickets to drop), the SOP needs to be runnable by someone new.

Transcript vs SOP: what to keep, what to rewrite

A transcript captures what was said. An SOP captures what must be done.

What transcripts are good for

• Recovering exact wording (commands, labels, policy language)
• Searching for specific phrases
• Translating/localizing later

What SOPs must add

• Prerequisites (permissions, accounts, inputs)
• Step structure (numbered steps with one action each)
• UI anchors (where to click, exact button names)
• Decision points (if/then)
• QA checks (how to verify it worked)

Practical rule: treat the transcript as source material, then rewrite it into steps.

Best recording practices (so your SOP is easier to write)

Good SOPs start with good recordings. A few small habits reduce editing later.

Before you record

• Start with a one-sentence goal: “In this video we’ll…"
• Open all tabs/tools you’ll use (reduce switching noise)
• Increase zoom to 110–125% so UI labels are readable
• Confirm you’re using the right environment (staging vs production)

While recording

• Narrate intent, not just clicks (“We’re doing X because…")
• Pause 1–2 seconds between major steps (makes extraction easier)
• Say exact UI labels out loud (“Click Settings → Billing")
• Call out edge cases (“If you don’t see this, you may lack permission")

After recording

• Write down the expected end state (what “success” looks like)
• Note any sensitive data you displayed (to remove or redact)

These practices pay off whether you write the SOP manually or use an AI-assisted workflow.

Step-by-step: how to create SOP from video

This process works for product workflows, support runbooks, internal ops, and onboarding tasks.

Step 1: Define the SOP outcome and scope

Write two lines:

• Outcome: What is true when the procedure is complete?
• Scope: What’s included/excluded (and for which tool or team)?

Example:

• Outcome: “A customer receives a password reset email.”
• Scope: “Applies to self-serve accounts; excludes SSO customers.”

Step 2: Extract a clean transcript (then prune)

You can start from:

• Manual notes + timestamps
• A transcript from your recording tool
• An AI transcript

Then prune:

• Remove filler (“um”, “okay”, small talk)
• Keep exact UI labels and critical warnings
• Keep decision criteria (why you chose option A vs B)

Step 3: Identify the “step moments”

Watch once at 1.25–1.5x and mark every moment where the actor:

• Clicks a new navigation item
• Changes a setting
• Enters required data
• Confirms an action (Save, Publish, Send)
• Validates the outcome

These become your step headings. You’re building a runnable checklist, not a story.

Step 4: Rewrite into numbered, single-action steps

For each step moment:

• Start with a verb (“Open”, “Click”, “Enter”, “Select”, “Verify”)
• One action per step
• If needed, add a short Result: line

Add sub-bullets only for fields or options.

Step 5: Add prerequisites, permissions, and inputs

Most SOP failures happen before step 1.

Include:

• Required role/permissions
• Accounts/tools needed
• Inputs (URLs, IDs, CSVs, email addresses)
• “Do not do” warnings (production-only actions)

Step 6: Add QA checks and rollback

At minimum:

• Verification: How to confirm success (screens, logs, user email)
• Rollback: What to do if you made a mistake (revert setting, contact owner)

This is what turns a “how-to” into an operations-grade SOP.

Step 7: Add screenshots (only where they reduce mistakes)

Use screenshots for:

• Dense settings pages
• Ambiguous buttons (two similar “Save” areas)
• Critical destructive actions

Avoid screenshot overload—use them where they prevent errors.

A concrete example SOP (from a short admin video)

Below is a realistic example based on a common internal workflow.

Example: SOP — Update a customer’s plan in the admin dashboard

Purpose: Change a customer from Basic → Pro after payment confirmation.

Owner: Support (Tier 2)

Prerequisites:

• Admin dashboard access
• Customer email or account ID
• Confirmation that payment cleared (from billing tool or finance note)

Inputs:

• Customer email
• Target plan (Pro Monthly / Pro Annual)

Steps:

1. Open the Admin Dashboard.
2. Navigate to Customers.
3. Search for the customer by email.
4. Click the customer record to open details.
5. In Subscription, click Change Plan.
6. Select the target plan (e.g., Pro Annual).
7. Confirm whether to apply immediately or at renewal (follow team policy).
8. Click Save.
9. Add an internal note: “Plan changed to Pro Annual on YYYY-MM-DD by <name> (payment confirmed).”

Verification (QA checks):

• The customer record shows the new plan name.
• The “Next invoice” or renewal section matches expectations.
• If your workflow triggers an email, confirm it was sent (or note if it should not be sent).

If something goes wrong (rollback):

• If you selected the wrong plan, change it back immediately and document the correction in internal notes.
• If the account shows unexpected billing behavior, escalate to the billing owner with the customer ID and timestamp.

SOP template (copy/paste)

Use this when you want consistency across teams.

## SOP: [Procedure name]

**Purpose:** [What this procedure accomplishes]

**Outcome (Definition of done):**
- [Observable result]

**Owner:** [Role/team]

**Applies to / Scope:**
- Includes: [What’s covered]
- Excludes: [What’s not covered]

**Prerequisites:**
- Access/permissions: [Role, tool access]
- Tools/accounts: [List]

**Inputs:**
- [IDs, URLs, files, customer info]

**Steps:**
1. [Verb + action]
2. [Verb + action]
3. [Verb + action]

**Decision points:**
- If [condition], then [action]
- If [condition], then [action]

**Verification (QA checks):**
- [How to confirm success]
- [What to double-check]

**Rollback / Escalation:**
- Rollback: [How to undo]
- Escalate to: [Role/team], include: [Required info]

**Notes / Edge cases:**
- [Known gotchas]

**Revision history:**
- [Date] — [What changed] — [Owner]

Checklist: SOP quality review (before you publish)

Use this to catch the common issues that make SOPs fail in the real world.

• The outcome/definition of done is explicit
• The owner role is defined (who is responsible)
• Prerequisites and permissions are listed
• Inputs are listed (IDs/files/links)
• Steps are numbered and each step is one action
• UI labels match what the user will see
• Decision points are covered (if/then)
• Verification steps exist (how to confirm success)
• Rollback/escalation path is included
• Screenshots are used only where they reduce mistakes
• The SOP is readable in under ~5 minutes

Tools section: ways to turn a video into an SOP

There are a few practical approaches depending on volume and how “production-grade” your SOPs need to be.

Option 1: Manual (video + doc)

Best for: low volume, one-off processes.

• Pros: full control, no tooling changes
• Cons: slow, hard to keep consistent, screenshots are tedious

Option 2: Transcript-first workflow

Best for: teams that already have transcripts and want to standardize.

• Pros: easy to start, good for search
• Cons: still requires rewriting into steps; screenshots and structure are manual

Option 3: Video-to-SOP workflow (purpose-built)

Best for: support, onboarding, and product teams producing SOPs continuously.

A workflow tool like Vidocu focuses on turning one upload into multiple publish-ready outputs (structured steps, screenshots, subtitles, and localization), so the “everything after recording” work doesn’t pile up. If your bottleneck is formatting, consistency, and keeping docs updated, this is typically the biggest time saver.

FAQ

How long should an SOP be?

Long enough to be runnable and short enough to scan. Most effective SOPs are 8–20 steps with clear prerequisites and verification.

Should I include a full transcript inside the SOP?

Usually no. Keep a transcript as reference if needed, but the SOP should prioritize steps, decision points, and QA checks.

What’s the fastest way to convert a training video into an SOP?

Use a consistent process: define outcome → extract transcript → step moments → numbered steps → QA checks → add only necessary screenshots. Tools can accelerate the formatting and asset creation.

How do I keep SOPs updated when the UI changes?

Add “Revision history,” assign an owner, and schedule lightweight reviews (e.g., quarterly). When a UI changes, update the few steps/screens that reference it.

What makes an SOP fail in onboarding?

Missing prerequisites, unclear “definition of done,” and lack of verification steps. New teammates need explicit checks to know they did it right.

Turn one video into an SOP in minutes

If you’re documenting the same workflows repeatedly, the fastest gains usually come from reducing the manual work after recording. Vidocu helps streamline that workflow so a single recording can become a clean, step-by-step SOP with supporting assets. Start with Video to SOP.