Short answer
A good SOP for an AI employee states the trigger, the steps, the tools, what to do when something is unusual, and when to stop and ask you. Keep each one to a single job, use real examples, and write the exceptions down. Start with your three most repeated tasks and refine them weekly.
An SOP is just the answer to "how do we do this here?"
A standard operating procedure sounds bureaucratic, but you already have them. They live in your head, in a staff member's habits, or in a Slack thread from 2023. "When a lead comes in, call within an hour, ask about timeline, and book a quote visit." That is an SOP.
An AI employee does better work when those habits are written down. It remembers what you tell it, and it can keep people to your procedures, but it cannot read your mind about the exceptions. The clearer the procedure, the fewer corrections you make. This also helps your human staff, since new people get the same document.
The template
Use the same skeleton for every procedure. Short beats thorough; a one-page SOP gets followed.
| Section | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Name and goal | One job, one sentence about why it matters | New lead response: every lead gets a real reply within 10 minutes |
| Trigger | What starts it | A form, call, text or DM from a new contact |
| Steps | Numbered, in order, one action each | 1. Reply by text. 2. Ask timeline and address. 3. Offer two visit times. |
| Tools | Where each step happens | CRM for logging, Google Calendar for times, text line for replies |
| Voice and wording | How it should sound, with real examples | Friendly, short, no jargon. Sample message attached |
| Exceptions | Odd cases and what to do | Outside service area: say so politely and suggest a neighbor firm |
| Stop and ask | When it must check with you | Any request for a discount, any complaint, any job over $10,000 |
| Done means | How it knows it finished | Lead logged, visit booked or follow-up scheduled in 2 days |
The "stop and ask" row is the most valuable. It is where you place your judgment. For the kind of mistakes this prevents, see AI employee mistakes: how to prevent and fix them.
Worked example 1: appointment confirmation
- Trigger. Any appointment 24 hours away.
- Steps. Text the client a confirmation with date, time and address. If there is no reply in 4 hours, send a second text. If still nothing by 2 hours before, call.
- Reschedule. Offer the next two open slots in the same week. Update the calendar and CRM.
- Exceptions. If the client writes anything angry or mentions a problem, stop and notify the owner.
- Done means. Appointment marked confirmed, rescheduled or cancelled, with the reason logged.
This is the backbone of AI no-show follow-up.
Worked example 2: invoice reminders
- Trigger. An invoice reaches its due date unpaid.
- Steps. Day after due: send the friendly reminder with the payment link. Day 7: ask if anything is blocking payment. Day 14: send the firmer version.
- Tools. QuickBooks for status, Stripe for the link, email for sending.
- Exceptions. Never contact the Delgado account or any customer tagged "owner handles." If a customer disputes the invoice, stop reminders and notify the owner.
- Stop and ask. Any request for a payment plan or discount.
- Done means. Paid, or flagged to the owner at 30 days.
More in AI payment collection assistant.
Worked example 3: weekly staff check
- Trigger. Monday at 8 a.m.
- Steps. Ask each team member for their top three commitments for the week. Record them. On Wednesday, ask for a one-line status. On Friday, compare with what the CRM and inbox show.
- Voice. Brief and friendly. Never scold. Ask what is blocking, not why it isn't done.
- Stop and ask. If the same item slips three weeks in a row, tell the owner and do not nag the person further.
- Done means. A Friday summary to the owner listing done, slipped and why.
This is how an AI office manager keeps a team on track without becoming a nag.
Common mistakes
- Too long. A twelve-page manual does not get followed by people or machines. Split it.
- Vague verbs. "Handle the customer" is not a step. "Reply with the pricing range and offer two times" is.
- No exceptions. Real life is mostly exceptions. List the five most common.
- Hiding the judgment. If a decision needs you, say so. Otherwise it will guess.
- Writing for an imaginary employee. Describe how you actually work, not the idealized version.
- Never updating. Every correction you make in conversation should end up in the SOP.
How to get your SOPs written without a weekend of typing
You do not have to type them. Talk through a task as you do it, record the voice memo or the screen, and send it to Oraculo. It reads PDFs, photos and recordings, so it can turn a ten-minute walkthrough into a first-draft SOP in the template above. You edit it, especially the exceptions and the "stop and ask" section.
- Pick your three most repeated tasks.
- Record yourself doing each one, or describe it aloud.
- Ask Oraculo to draft the SOP from the template.
- Fix the exceptions and the stop-and-ask lines.
- Run it for a week, then update it with what went wrong.
Related reading: how to delegate to an AI employee and first 10 tasks to give your AI employee.
How Oraculo uses your SOPs
Oraculo learns your SOPs and keeps people to them, and it remembers every customer, decision and past fix. Important actions can require your approval first. Setup is $499 one-time, including four one-hour Zoom sessions where an engineer helps you connect tools and shape your first procedures. Starter is $12 per hour of work with a six-hour weekly minimum, about $312 a month, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Book a 20-minute demo and bring one task you wish ran itself.
Key takeaway
Write one-page procedures for your most repeated tasks, with real wording, honest exceptions and a clear stop-and-ask rule. Then refine them weekly based on what the AI actually does.
Frequently asked questions
What is an SOP for an AI employee?
A short written procedure for one job: the trigger, numbered steps, tools, wording, exceptions and when to stop and ask you. It tells the AI how your business does that task.
How long should an SOP be?
One page for one job. If it grows beyond that, split it. Short procedures are easier to follow, update and review.
Do I have to write them myself?
No. Record a walkthrough or describe the task aloud, send it to Oraculo, and it can draft the SOP from a template. You then correct the exceptions and the approval rules.
How many SOPs do I need to start?
Three is enough: your most repeated tasks, such as lead response, appointment confirmation and invoice reminders. Add more as you see where it needs guidance.
What if the AI doesn't follow the SOP?
First check whether the SOP is clear and covers the case. Most misses come from missing exceptions. Fix the document, and use approvals for important actions while you build trust.