Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are the long-form instructions behind every recurring task. MaintIQ ships with a Markdown-based SOP editor designed for fast authoring, clean print output, and tight versioning.
Open the SOP editor
From the left navigation click SOPs. The SOP index shows every SOP for the current Facility along with status (Draft, Published), version, last update, and the tasks each one is linked to.
To create a new SOP click New SOP. To edit an existing one, click its title. Both routes open the same editor.
The editor at a glance
The editor has three tabs:
- Editor — the Markdown source. Renders a live preview on the right at any breakpoint.
- AI Assistant — see Using the AI Assistant to draft an SOP.
- Attachments — file uploads for diagrams, vendor manuals, and reference photos.
Above the tabs you have: title, version, status, Save draft, and Save & publish.
A reliable SOP structure
A good SOP answers six questions in order. Use these as your H2 sections:
- Purpose — one sentence on what the procedure achieves.
- Scope — when it applies and when it does not.
- Safety & PPE — hazards, lockout/tagout, required gear.
- Tools & materials — exact part numbers and sizes.
- Procedure — numbered steps with measurable acceptance criteria.
- Records — what gets logged in MaintIQ when the procedure is performed.
Stick to this skeleton across the team and your SOPs will feel coherent even when authored by different people.
Writing for the field
- One action per step. "Open valve V-12" — not "Open valve V-12 and confirm pressure stabilises and log reading".
- Use units. "Torque to 18 N·m (13 ft·lb)".
- Mark required readings. Wrap measurable acceptance criteria in bold so they stand out on a phone.
- Include a printable checklist at the bottom for offline use.
Save draft vs. Save & publish
- Save draft updates the editor copy without changing what your team sees. Drafts are versioned but invisible from the Dashboard.
- Save & publish flips the SOP live, increments the version, and notifies subscribed users.
See Publishing and versioning SOPs for the versioning rules in detail.
Link the SOP to a task
A published SOP becomes useful the moment it is linked to a task. From any task definition, search the SOP picker for your new SOP and attach it. Technicians will see the SOP collapsed inside the task on the Dashboard.
Tips
- Keep SOPs under 1,500 words. Anything longer is either two procedures or a manual.
- Embed acceptance criteria, not opinions. "Less than 3 ppm" beats "low".
- Photograph the equipment and label what the tech is looking at. Annotated photos beat text every time.
FAQ
Can SOPs be shared across Facilities? Yes — toggle "Shared across all facilities" in the editor sidebar. Edits propagate to every Facility on next publish.
Can I import an existing Word document? Not yet as a single click — paste the text into the Reference material field of the AI Assistant and use Draft new with a "reformat into the standard SOP template" prompt. See Using the AI Assistant to draft an SOP.
Who can publish an SOP? Admins and Super Admins. Technicians can suggest edits via comments on the SOP page.