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Easy Steps to Make an Operational Audit Checklist from SOP

March 26, 2020
3 mins reading

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In the world of work, you are undoubtedly familiar with the term Standard Operating Procedure is, better known by its acronym, SOP. To ensure the work system runs as it should, SOPs are used as a reference for how an employee must complete their duties step by step. SOP is one way to make your business serve customers consistently in any branch.

One tip to ensure all of your business operations are carried out according to the SOP is to check the implementation of the SOP using a checklist.

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What is the difference between a checklist and an SOP? Aren't both the same?

The difference between a checklist and an SOP lies in its function. The SOP tells us how to do something, while the checklist ensures that we have done it correctly. However, we never escape the word forget, and one of the best ways to prevent operational errors due to this word forgetting is to complete the SOPs you already have with a reliable checklist. With a checklist, you can immediately find out if a step is missed.

Also read: What you need to pay attention to in creating company SOPs

Here are easy steps to make a checklist of the work SOPs you already have.

Sort Questions According to SOP Steps & Order of Checked Rooms

To make it easier for the team conducting the inspection, create a sequence of checklist questions according to a step-by-step explanation of how the work should be done in the SOP. In addition to the work order that needs to be considered, the work area also needs to be considered. One of the things that can make the team's work easier in the field is to create a checklist based on specific categories.

Change the Statements in the SOP into Questions

By converting statements in SOPs into interrogative sentences, you help your team understand what to check more quickly. The method is straightforward. Imagine you are calling your team in the field to ensure that all the work has been done correctly.

Also read: Tips for Making Operational Audit Questionnaires for More Accurate Audit Results

Avoid Making Double Questions

When converting an SOP to a list of questions on a checklist, make sure you don't combine two questions into one question. This will make it difficult for your team to answer questions, especially when the two questions made into one have different answers.

Create Easy-to-Understand and Unbiased Questions

Make sure the questions you use as a checklist use simple language, sentences, and points. Questions should also be broken down into more specific indicators to evaluate them more accurately.

Provide help information

Because you need to make this checklist short, concise, and clear, it is possible that important details were missed during the inspection. To work around this, you can include an image as a reference.

After making a checklist of the SOPs that you have with the steps above and using them to check the implementation of the SOPs, it will help you in the inspection process and continue to ensure that the work proceeds according to the SOPs. You can also detect potential causes of problems that could occur so that solutions can be applied more quickly to prevent fatal errors that cause work operations to be disrupted.

For an even more efficient inspection process, you can enter the checklist results that have been converted from the SOP and categorized by division or inspection location into the Nimbly application. Furthermore, the questionnaires can be assigned to your team members at specific outlets, and you can get the data in real-time right away. If you find work not following the SOP, you can immediately follow up through the Nimbly application. With Nimbly, you can digitize your company's operational inspection system for optimal results.

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