An SOP that lives by itself in the library is half a feature. The value shows up when the SOP is one tap away from the task the tech is actually doing. This guide explains how to link, unlink, and version SOPs against daily tasks and work orders.
Link an SOP to a daily task
- Open Admin → Tasks and pick the task you want to link.
- In the task form, find the Linked SOP picker.
- Search by SOP title and select it.
- (Optional) Pick whether the SOP renders collapsed or expanded by default on the Dashboard. Collapsed keeps the Dashboard short; expanded is better for safety-critical procedures.
- Save.
The next time a tech opens the task on the Dashboard, the SOP appears inline. They can read it without leaving the task or jump to the full SOP page if they need the print view.
Link an SOP to a work order
Work orders accept multiple SOP links. From the work-order detail page:
- Click Add SOP.
- Pick an SOP from the list.
- Repeat for any additional procedures.
Multi-link is useful for multi-step jobs: a re-build might reference LOTO, the pump tear-down SOP, and the gasket replacement SOP.
Versioning behaviour
A linked SOP follows whatever is currently published. When you publish a new version, every task and work order that links to it picks up the new content automatically the next time it is opened.
If you need a frozen reference (for compliance), you can pin a link to a specific version from the SOP picker — the dropdown shows every published version and the dates they were live.
Bi-directional discovery
The SOP detail page lists every task and work order that currently links to it. This is the fastest way to:
- Spot SOPs that are no longer linked to anything (candidates for archival).
- Audit downstream impact before you change a procedure.
- Confirm that a new SOP is actually being used.
Tips
- Don't link the same SOP to thirty tiny tasks. Group the work into fewer, richer tasks.
- Pin a version when a regulator audits you. Then unpin once the audit is complete so future tasks see the latest version.
- Use the SOP page's "Linked tasks" sidebar to plan rewrites: edit the SOP once and the change reaches every place it is referenced.
FAQ
Can a task link to more than one SOP? A single primary link plus unlimited "additional reference" links. The primary link is the one rendered inline on the Dashboard.
Can a technician unlink an SOP? No. Only Admins can manage SOP linkage.
What happens if I unpublish a linked SOP? The link still resolves to the last published version, with a yellow banner on the Dashboard reading "SOP unpublished — using last known version". Republish or remove the link to clear the banner.