- Real document blocks
- Tables and headings stay selectable and printable.
- Live A4 preview
- What you see is what the PDF prints.
- Edit by chatting
- Change anything with one sentence.
- Free download
- No watermark, unlimited exports.
What is PaintPDF's sop generator?
PaintPDF's SOP generator turns a process into a printable A4 standard operating procedure: an owner, effective date and revision, a purpose and scope, numbered steps, a roles table and a revision history. Edit it by chatting. Free to start, no watermark.
Get a free sop template: pick an example in the live demo and download the PDF, or open it in the studio to make it yours. No sign-in to download, no watermark.
Everything an SOP needs
A standard operating procedure tells someone how to do a task the same way every time. The layout keeps the process, the owners and the history in one document.
Where they usually go wrong
It has to look like you do this for a living.
A Word file shows the seams: floating tables, mismatched type, spacing you fixed twice.
Template sites make you retype the job into their form.
Twelve fields before you see a page, and the result still looks like their template.
One change and the layout falls apart.
Move a line and the table, the headings, and the footer all need re-fixing.
- An owner, an effective date and a revision number
- A purpose and a scope, so it is clear when the procedure applies
- Numbered steps, in the order they happen
- A roles table and a revision history
| Version | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | 6 Oct 2026 | Added the approval-route step |
| 2.0 | 12 May 2026 | New questionnaire template |
What each field is for
The fields that make a procedure maintainable:
Revision
Which version is current, so people do not follow an old copy
Steps
The ordered actions, numbered so they can be referenced
Owner
Who keeps the procedure accurate and approves changes
Scope
Who and what the procedure covers, and where it starts and ends
How it works
Describe it
Type what you need in plain language: the client, the line items, the tone. Attach a file if you have one.
Refine by chatting
The agent builds the document with real tables and headings, and you change anything just by asking. A live A4 preview updates as it works.
Download the PDF
Export a print-ready A4 PDF. No watermark on the free plan, and unlimited exports.
Free to start. No watermark.
See a finished SOP
Pick an example and the full PDF renders here in seconds. Download it if you like it, no sign-in needed.
New client onboarding SOP with numbered steps
Like it? Open a copy in the studio and change anything by chatting. Free, no watermark.
Write my SOPYou type it, it sets it
Every part of the document is something you can ask for in a sentence. This is a real edit, made on the example above.
One more step in the numbered list, in order.
Questions, answered
SOP or checklist?
A checklist is a list you tick off in the moment; an SOP explains the process behind it, who owns each step and how it changes. Use a checklist for a routine task and an SOP when someone new needs to understand the why, not just the what.
How do I write an SOP?
Describe the process, the owner and who does each step, and the agent lays out a printable A4 procedure with a purpose, numbered steps, a roles table and a revision history. Check the order and the roles before you publish it.
What is the difference between an SOP and a policy?
A policy says what the organisation requires; an SOP says how a task is done to meet it. A policy is often one paragraph, while an SOP is the step-by-step procedure that follows from it.
Can I version the procedure?
Yes. The revision-history table lists each version with its date and what changed, and the header shows the current revision so readers know which copy is current.
Is this a procedure template or a SOP creator?
Both names describe the same job: a free standard operating procedure template you fill in, with a purpose, numbered steps, owners and a revision table. Describe the process and the agent lays out the printable A4 procedure; you keep editing it by chat.
Can I use it for any process?
The layout fits most task procedures, from onboarding to a maintenance routine. Keep the steps specific to your own process and do not let the agent invent policy or approvals.
Is it free?
Free to start, no watermark, unlimited exports, around 20 PDFs a month on the free plan.
Why number the steps?
Numbered steps can be cited, taught and audited: a new hire can say which step they are stuck on, and a reviewer can point at the step that changed. A paragraph of process cannot be referenced that way.
Turn a process into an SOP
Describe the process step by step, who owns it and who does each part. Check the order and the roles, and give it a revision number so changes are traceable.
- Prompt: Create an A4 standard operating procedure from my notes. Include the SOP number, owner, effective date and revision, a purpose and a scope, numbered steps in order, a roles table and a revision-history table. Use only the steps I give and do not invent policy.
- Check the order of the steps, the named roles, and that the scope says when the procedure starts and ends.
- The PDF is a document, not a workflow tool; keep the live process and its approvals in your own systems.
How long does it take to build the sop?
One short chat: describe what you need, check the live preview, download the PDF. You can keep changing it after that.
Can I bring a document I already have?
Yes. Attach up to four files at a time: images up to 5 MB, PDFs up to 10 MB, or text files up to 200 KB (.txt, .md, .csv, .json). For Word (.docx, not .doc), PDF, Markdown, HTML or LaTeX documents up to 10 MB each, choose ‘Import a document’ from the studio’s attachment menu. The agent rebuilds imports as editable blocks; original formatting may change.
Write the process down once
- A purpose, a scope, and numbered steps.
- Roles and a revision history.
- Free to start, no watermark.
No credit card.