What Is a Procedure? Definition and Example

What Is a Procedure?

A procedure is a documented series of steps for completing a task or achieving a particular result. It explains how an activity should be performed, who is responsible and which resources or approvals are required.

Procedures can range from a short checklist to a detailed document containing:

• Numbered instructions
• Assigned responsibilities
• Required tools and systems
• Safety warnings
• Approval requirements
• Decision points
• Screenshots or diagrams
• Forms and templates
• Quality checks
• Recordkeeping instructions
• Escalation procedures

Organizations commonly store procedures in employee handbooks, training manuals, shared knowledge bases and standard operating procedure libraries.

Why Are Procedures Important?

They create consistency

A documented procedure helps different employees complete the same task using a similar method. This can provide customers and colleagues with a more consistent experience.

They improve efficiency

Employees can follow the instructions instead of repeatedly asking questions or deciding what to do next.

They support quality control

Procedures can include checkpoints that help employees identify errors before work reaches a customer or another department.

They make training easier

New employees can use procedures to understand common tasks, tools and organizational expectations.

They clarify responsibility

A procedure can identify who completes, reviews and approves each stage of the work.

They preserve organizational knowledge

When an experienced employee changes roles or leaves the company, documented procedures allow other employees to continue important work.

They support compliance

Some procedures help organizations meet financial, safety, privacy or industry requirements. High-risk procedures may require review by qualified legal, financial or safety professionals.

Procedure vs. Policy vs. Process

Policies, processes and procedures are connected, but they answer different questions.

Term	Main question	Example
Policy	What rule or principle applies?	Employees must protect confidential customer data.
Process	What sequence produces the result?	Customer requests move from submission to review and resolution.
Procedure	How should a particular task be completed?	Follow these steps to verify and respond to a customer request.
Work instruction	How is one detailed action performed?	Enter the customer’s information into these system fields.

For example, a company may have a policy requiring employees to report expenses within 30 days. Its expense-management process covers submission, approval and reimbursement. The procedure explains exactly how an employee creates and submits an expense report.

When Should You Create a Procedure?

Consider creating a written procedure when:

• A task involves several steps
• Employees complete the activity regularly
• Different employees use inconsistent methods
• Mistakes create financial or safety risks
• New employees frequently ask the same questions
• A task requires documentation
• Several departments participate in the work
• Employees need approval before continuing
• The activity has important deadlines
• A process is difficult to understand
• Customers expect a consistent outcome
• The organization introduces new software
• An experienced employee is preparing to leave

Not every activity requires a formal procedure. A detailed document for a simple, low-risk task may create unnecessary administrative work. Prioritize tasks where consistency, safety, quality or knowledge transfer provides clear value.

Essential Components of a Procedure

Title

Use a specific title that clearly identifies the task. For example, “Procedure for Submitting Business Travel Expenses” is more useful than “Expense Information.”

Purpose

Explain what the procedure is intended to accomplish and why employees need to follow it.

Scope

Identify the departments, employees, locations or situations covered by the procedure.

Responsibilities

State who performs, reviews, approves and maintains the work.

Required resources

List the tools, systems, forms, permissions and materials employees need.

Definitions

Explain unfamiliar terms, role names and abbreviations.

Instructions

Present the required actions in the order employees should complete them.

Decision points

Explain how employees should respond when the correct action depends on a condition.

Warnings

Identify safety, privacy, compliance or quality risks before the related step.

Records

State which documents employees must retain and where they should store them.

Document information

Include the procedure owner, version number, approval date and next review date.

How To Write a Procedure

1. Define the expected result

Begin with a clear description of the outcome.

For example:

“The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that complete expense reports reach the finance team within 30 calendar days of a purchase.”

A defined result prevents the procedure from expanding into unrelated activities.

2. Identify the intended users

Determine who will follow the instructions and how much experience they have.

A procedure for new employees may require screenshots and definitions. Instructions for trained specialists may appropriately use technical language.

3. Gather accurate information

Talk to employees who perform the task, observe the work and review existing forms or requirements. Do not write the procedure based only on how you assume the activity works.

Ask questions such as:

• Who begins the task?
• What information is required?
• Which systems do employees use?
• What approvals are necessary?
• What common mistakes occur?
• What happens when something goes wrong?
• How does the employee know the task is complete?

4. Define the scope

Identify where the procedure begins and ends. If related activities require separate instructions, link to those documents rather than including everything in one procedure.

5. List the prerequisites

Explain what employees need before beginning. Prerequisites might include:

• System access
• Manager approval
• Completed training
• Required equipment
• Customer information
• A form or template
• Safety clothing
• Supporting documents

6. Arrange the steps logically

Use numbered steps when sequence matters. Begin each instruction with a direct action verb, such as:

• Open
• Review
• Confirm
• Enter
• Attach
• Select
• Submit
• Save
• Notify

Keep one main action in each step when possible.

7. Add exceptions and decision points

Explain what employees should do when the usual path does not apply.

Examples include:

• If the receipt is missing, complete the missing-receipt declaration.
• If the request exceeds $1,000, obtain director approval.
• If the customer cannot verify their identity, stop the process and contact a supervisor.
• If the system displays an error, save a screenshot and contact technical support.

8. Include supporting materials

Add screenshots, diagrams, templates or completed examples when they make the instructions easier to understand.

Make sure visual materials do not display confidential information.

9. Test the procedure

Ask an employee who did not write the document to follow it. Observe where the employee pauses, misunderstands an instruction or requires additional information.

Testing can reveal steps that experienced employees considered too obvious to document.

10. Approve and publish it

Ask the responsible manager or specialist to confirm that the procedure is accurate. Store the approved document somewhere employees can easily find it.

Remove or clearly label outdated versions.

11. Review it regularly

Procedures can become inaccurate when software, roles, policies or regulations change. Assign an owner and establish a review schedule.

Procedure Template

Use the following structure to create a workplace procedure:

Procedure title:
[Name of the procedure]

Purpose:
[Explain the intended result and why the procedure is necessary.]

Scope:
[Identify the employees, departments and situations covered.]

Responsibilities:

• [Role]: [Responsibility]
• [Role]: [Responsibility]
• [Role]: [Responsibility]

Required resources:

• [Resource, tool or system]
• [Required form or document]
• [Access permission]
• [Relevant policy]

Definitions:

• [Term]: [Definition]
• [Term]: [Definition]

Procedure steps:

1. [First action]
2. [Second action]
3. [Third action]
4. [Review or approval step]
5. [Final action]

Exceptions:

• If [condition], then [action].
• If [condition], then [action].

Expected result:
[Describe how the employee knows the procedure is complete.]

Records:
[Explain which records to retain and where to store them.]

Document control:

• Owner: [Role]
• Version: [Version number]
• Approval date: [Date]
• Next review date: [Date]

Complete Workplace Procedure Example

The following example explains how employees might submit business expenses. Organizations should customize it according to their systems, policies and legal requirements.

Procedure title

Submitting Business Expenses for Reimbursement

Purpose

This procedure explains how employees submit eligible business expenses for approval and reimbursement. It supports accurate records, timely payments and consistent financial review.

Scope

This procedure applies to employees who personally pay for approved business travel, meals, supplies or other eligible company expenses.

Responsibilities

• Employee: Confirms eligibility, collects documentation and submits the report.
• Manager: Reviews the business purpose, amount and budget.
• Finance team: Verifies documentation and processes approved reimbursement.
• Finance operations manager: Maintains and reviews this procedure.

Required resources

Employees need:

• Access to the expense-management system
• An itemized receipt
• The transaction date
• The vendor’s name
• The total amount
• A written business purpose
• The correct department or project code
• Any required preapproval

Procedure steps

1. Review the company expense policy to confirm that the purchase is eligible for reimbursement.
2. Obtain an itemized receipt showing the vendor, date, purchased items, taxes and total amount.
3. Sign in to the company expense-management system.
4. Select Create New Expense Report.
5. Enter the transaction date, vendor, amount and expense category.
6. Write a brief business purpose. Include the related customer, project, event or meeting when applicable.
7. Select the appropriate department or project code.
8. Upload a readable image or PDF of the receipt.
9. Confirm that the amount entered matches the receipt.
10. Add any other eligible expenses from the same business trip or reporting period.
11. Review the report for missing fields, duplicate entries and incorrect categories.
12. Submit the completed report to the designated manager within 30 calendar days of the purchase.
13. Monitor the system for approval, rejection or requests for additional information.
14. Respond to questions from the manager or finance team within five business days.
15. Confirm that the approved reimbursement reaches the designated account.

Exceptions

• If an itemized receipt is unavailable, complete a missing-receipt declaration and provide alternative proof of payment.
• If the expense exceeds the employee’s approval limit, attach written preapproval.
• If the expense relates to multiple departments, divide the amount using the correct allocation codes.
• If the system rejects an attachment, verify its file type and size before contacting finance support.
• If a manager returns the report, correct the identified issue and resubmit it.

Expected result

A complete and accurate expense report reaches the manager with all required documentation. The finance team processes reimbursement after the necessary approvals are recorded.

Records

The expense system retains the report, receipts, comments and approval history according to the company’s financial recordkeeping policy.

Document control

• Owner: Finance operations manager
• Version: 1.0
• Approval date: [Insert date]
• Next review date: [Insert date]

Additional Procedure Examples

Organizations may create procedures for:

• Welcoming a new employee
• Responding to a customer complaint
• Reporting a workplace accident
• Approving a purchase
• Closing a retail location
• Backing up company data
• Requesting time off
• Processing a customer refund
• Publishing website content
• Conducting equipment inspections
• Responding to security incidents
• Preparing monthly financial reports

Each procedure should reflect the risk, complexity and experience of its intended users.

Tips for Writing Effective Procedures

Use direct language

Replace vague instructions such as “handle the request appropriately” with a specific action.

For example:

“Forward the request to the support manager within one business day.”

Keep steps concise

Long paragraphs can hide important actions. Break complicated instructions into smaller steps or supporting sections.

Use consistent terms

If you use “customer record” at the beginning, do not later call it an “account file” unless the terms have different meanings.

Explain the reason when useful

Employees may be more likely to recognize a critical step when they understand its purpose.

Make warnings visible

Place warnings immediately before the related action rather than collecting them at the end of the document.

Include realistic examples

A completed form or sample result can help users understand what correct work looks like.

Consider accessibility

Use readable text, descriptive headings and alternative text for important images. Do not rely entirely on color to communicate instructions.

Make feedback easy

Provide a way for employees to report an unclear or outdated step.

Common Procedure-Writing Mistakes

Avoid:

• Writing instructions without consulting employees
• Assuming every user has the same knowledge
• Omitting necessary tools or permissions
• Using long paragraphs instead of steps
• Failing to explain common exceptions
• Including outdated screenshots
• Assigning responsibility to an unclear group
• Publishing the procedure without testing it
• Keeping several uncontrolled versions
• Failing to identify an owner
• Forgetting to establish a review date
• Including confidential passwords or access codes

A useful procedure should make work easier. If employees regularly avoid it, determine whether the document is inaccurate, difficult to find or unnecessarily complicated.

Create Clear Procedures and Training Materials With Dokie

Dokie can help transform meeting notes, process documents and unorganized instructions into a structured first draft. It can also turn a completed procedure into a professional presentation for employee onboarding, internal training or process updates.

Review every AI-assisted procedure before publishing it. The process owner and employees who perform the task should verify each step, while legal, financial, medical or safety instructions may require additional review by qualified professionals.

Conclusion

An effective procedure defines the expected result, assigns responsibilities and explains each action in a logical order. Testing the instructions and reviewing them regularly helps keep workplace procedures accurate, practical and easy to follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a simple example of a procedure?

Instructions for resetting a workplace password are a simple procedure. They may explain how to open account settings, verify the user’s identity and create a new password.

What is the main purpose of a procedure?

The main purpose is to help people complete a task safely, accurately and consistently.

How long should a procedure be?

A procedure should contain enough information to support correct work. A simple activity may require one page, while a regulated or high-risk task may need several sections.

Who should write a workplace procedure?

A process owner can manage the document, but employees who regularly perform the task should contribute. Managers and relevant specialists may also need to review it.

How often should procedures be updated?

Update a procedure whenever systems, roles, policies or requirements change. Organizations may also schedule a review every six or 12 months.