Operations manual template
An operations manual is the single document that explains how your company runs: who does what, the core processes and the SOPs behind them, the systems, the routines, and what to do when something goes wrong. This free Word template gives you the structure.
Running a company of 30 to 200 people? Documents like this are now worth money.
Below is what to put in each section and how to build one without it taking months. A good test of the finished manual: if you took four weeks off, could someone run the company from it?
What's in the template
Operations manual
| Company | |
|---|---|
| Manual owner | |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Last reviewed | |
| Where the latest version lives | e.g. shared drive link |
1. About the company
- What we do, and for whom
- How we make money: main products or services and main customers
- Locations and working hours
- Service standards or values that guide day-to-day decisions
2. Organisation and roles
| Role | Person | Responsible for | Deputy |
|---|---|---|---|
3. Core processes
| Process | Owner | SOP reference | Systems used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winning work (enquiry to signed contract) | |||
| Delivering the work or fulfilling orders | |||
| Billing and collecting cash | |||
| Buying and paying suppliers | |||
| Hiring and onboarding | |||
| Month-end close and reporting |
4. Systems and access
| System | Used for | Administrator | How to get access |
|---|---|---|---|
5. Routines
| How often | Task | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | ||
| Weekly | ||
| Monthly | ||
| Quarterly | ||
| Yearly |
6. Key numbers
| Measure | Target | Reported where | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
7. Policies
- Expenses
- Holidays and absence
- IT and information security
- Data protection
- Health and safety
- Complaints
8. Suppliers and key contacts
| Supplier or contact | What for | Account or reference | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
9. When things go wrong
- Link to the business continuity plan
- Who to call first
- Escalation rules: what goes to whom
10. Document control
| Version | Date | Change | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | First issue |
How to build an operations manual
- Start with the list of processes, not the writing. Put every recurring process on one page and give each an owner. Most companies of 30 to 200 people find somewhere between twenty and forty.
- Write the manual itself in a day, and link out. The manual is the map; the SOPs are the directions. Don't paste every step into the manual, or it becomes too long to maintain.
- Fill the gaps in order of risk. Document first the processes only one person knows, the ones that touch money, and the ones customers notice when they fail.
- Make it findable. One owner, one location, a version number, and links that work.
- Use it. Give it to new starters in their first week, check it after anything goes wrong ("what did the manual say should happen?"), and review it each quarter.
Why it matters to owners
A manual takes knowledge out of people's heads, so holidays, resignations and growth hurt less. Buyers and investors also ask how dependent a business is on its owner, and an up-to-date operations manual is one of the clearest answers you can give them.
Example: core processes for a fictional IT support company
How section 3 might look for a 45-person managed IT company:
| Process | Owner | SOP | Systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| New client onboarding | Service delivery manager | SOP-OPS-01 | Ticketing, documentation wiki |
| Ticket triage and escalation | Service desk lead | SOP-OPS-02 | Ticketing |
| Monthly billing | Finance manager | SOP-FIN-01 | Accounts, ticketing time logs |
| Starters and leavers (client users) | Service desk lead | SOP-OPS-05 | Directory, ticketing |
| Security incident response | Technical director | SOP-SEC-01 | Monitoring, phone tree |
Common mistakes
- Trying to write everything at once. A short manual that links to ten good SOPs beats a long one nobody finishes.
- Nobody owns it, so it stops matching reality within a year.
- Copying a generic template without adapting it. Delete sections that don't apply; keep the ones that do.
- A long PDF nobody can search or update. Keep it as an editable document or wiki page.
- Writing for an auditor instead of for staff. Use the words your team uses.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an operations manual and an employee handbook?
An employee handbook covers employment terms and the policies staff must follow. An operations manual explains how the work gets done: processes, systems, routines and who is responsible for what.
How long should an operations manual be?
Short enough that people read it. A top-level manual of ten to twenty pages, linking to separate SOPs, is easier to keep current than one large document.
Who should own it?
Usually the operations lead or managing director, with each section owned by the person responsible for that process.