SOP Maker

A factory's Standard Operating Procedures aren't just instructions – they're controlled documents, with numbers, authors, and issue and revision dates. Writing them by hand in Word is slow, and nothing stops two people issuing the same SOP number. I built a tool that handles the control for you.

The problem

Document control is the hard part of an SOP, not the writing. Every procedure needs a unique number, an owner, an issue date and a revision history. Do that across a team in Word documents and folders, and sooner or later two SOPs go out on paper with the same number.

The solution

SOP Maker is a single page: a form on the left, a live A4 preview on the right. It saves to a folder you control.

• Numbering that can't clash. It scans the folder and blocks a save on any duplicate number – and if it can't read the folder, it refuses rather than risk one.
• Several document types – machine SOP, work instruction, toolbox talk, risk and PPE – with icon pickers for PPE, controls and chemicals.
• Print and PDF with a proper "Page N of M" footer on every page.

What changed

Authoring a controlled SOP is now a form-fill, with the numbering and formatting handled for you. It ships with a dozen templates and a full icon set, works offline, and keeps the document in your hands the whole time.

One honest note: the tool formats the document, it doesn't certify it. The safety citations still need a qualified health-and-safety advisor to sign off before any real SOP is issued.