Below, we first explain exactly what a work instruction is, then outline its eight sections, followed by two fully written-out work instruction examples from office processes you can take over as they are. Finally, the three reasons instructions break down in practice.
What is a work instruction?
A work instruction describes one task from beginning to end, so that someone who has never done it before can still do it correctly. One task, one document, in the order you do the work.
That's different from the documents it's often confused with:
- A procedure describes who is responsible for what and which steps a process involves across departments. The work instruction is the next level down: how to actually perform one step in that procedure.
- A manual describes a device or software package as the supplier intended it to be used. A work instruction describes how you use that package.
- A protocol sets out what to do in a particular situation, often to mitigate risks. A work instruction is more practical: it helps you complete the task.
The difference matters, because if you write a procedure when what's needed is a work instruction, you end up with a document that's correct but useless to everyone.
The example: a work instruction in eight sections
This is the setup we see working most often at SME companies. Adopt it and fill in your own process.
What this is for, in one sentence
Not "Order processing procedure version 3.2" but "What to do when an order comes in through the webshop". Someone searching for this will use their own words, not your document title.
When you use it
The trigger. “When an email comes in at sales@” or “Every Monday morning.” Without a trigger, nobody knows whether this instruction applies right now.
What you need
Access, passwords, which screen, which data. Half of all questions go to the colleague who always handles it.
The steps, numbered
One action per step. Start with a verb. Not “The order must be checked” but “Check that the address is complete.” Fifteen steps is a lot; more than twenty means they're really two instructions.
What goes wrong, and what you do then
The component that's almost always missing, and makes all the difference. "If there's no house number, email the customer using template X and put the order on hold." Without this component, someone still calls the colleague who always handles it.
Who you call if you cannot figure it out
A name and a role, not a department. And a second name, in case the first person is on vacation—that’s exactly when the instruction is needed.
When it is finished
How do you know the task is complete? “The order is marked as shipped and the customer has received a confirmation.” Without this, there’s uncertainty about whether anything else needs to be done.
Who maintains it and when
A name and a date. A work instruction without an owner will be wrong in six months, and an incorrect instruction is worse than no instruction—because someone will follow it.
The way it works now
- The appointment is in one colleague's mailbox
- Data is manually retyped from one system to another
- The person who knows is on vacation
- No one can see afterwards why this decision was made
As it is
- The agreement is stored with the client, findable for everyone
- Once entered, information flows through to the rest
- Work continues, even if someone is absent
- Every decision has a source, an owner, and a date
Two fully written work instruction examples
Most examples you find online come from production or the warehouse. But in an SME company, the knowledge that sits in one person's head is mainly in the office: in administration, with the person who manages the systems, with the person who "always does it". That is why below are two office processes, written out in the eight components. Replace the names and systems with those of your company.
Example 1: Giving a new employee access to the systems
What this is for: make sure a new colleague can log in to everything they need on their first day.
When you use it: as soon as the contract is signed and the start date is known, no later than five working days before that date.
What you need: full name, job title, start date, and manager; administrator access to the email and office suite; the list of systems associated with this role.
The steps:
- Create the account in the email and office suite using the standard email address naming convention.
- Add the account to the department group so shared folders and calendars appear automatically.
- Enable two-step sign-in (for example, an app on your phone) for this account.
- Ask the administrator of each business software package for a user account from the role list, with the permissions required for the role and no more.
- For each system, note in the employee overview: username, permissions, date created.
- Send the manager a message saying everything is ready, including the list of systems.
What goes wrong, and what to do about it: if a business application isn't on the job list but the manager still asks for it, don't create an account. Submit the request to the owner of this instruction so the job list can be updated instead of creating an exception.
Who to call if you get stuck: the office-suite administrator, and secondarily the new employee's manager.
When it’s done: the new colleague can log in to every system on the role list on day one, and the overview is complete.
Who keeps it up to date, and when: the office-suite administrator; check with every new role and otherwise once a year.
Example 2: Processing a purchase invoice and preparing it for payment
What this is for: get an incoming supplier invoice correctly booked and approved so it gets paid on time.
When you use it: with every invoice received at the invoice address, and at least every Tuesday and Friday morning for the outstanding pile.
What you need: access to the billing address and accounting package; the list of budget holders by expense category.
The steps:
- Check that the invoice is addressed to your company and includes an invoice number, date, VAT amount and the supplier's VAT number.
- Look up the corresponding order or appointment and compare the amounts and quantities.
- Post the invoice in the accounting system under the correct supplier and cost category.
- Send it to the budget holder for that cost category for approval.
- After approval, queue the invoice for payment on the next payment date before the due date.
What goes wrong, and what to do about it: if the amount differs from the order, don’t book it; mark it as “pending” and ask the person who placed the order for an explanation. If the VAT number or invoice number is missing, ask the supplier for a corrected invoice.
Who to call if you get stuck: the person responsible for finance, and secondarily the person who placed the order.
When it’s done: the invoice has been entered, approved, and included in the payment run, or is marked “pending” with a reason.
Who keeps it up to date, and when: the person responsible for finance; whenever budget holders or the accounting package changes.
See how the fifth component, what goes wrong, that makes the difference in both examples? That’s exactly when someone still calls the colleague who always handles it.
Three reasons why a work instruction example falls apart in practice
It was written by someone who doesn't do the process
The quality manager writes down how it should be done. The employee knows how it actually gets done. Those are two different documents, and only the second one gets used. Have the person doing the work create the first draft, even if it’s messy.
It's somewhere nobody looks
A work instruction stored in a folder on the network drive won’t be found when it’s needed. Make sure it’s accessible from where the work happens—in the system itself, or through a link someone can find in two seconds.
It's too long
One page is enough. Two is the limit. Anything longer gets skimmed instead of read, and then someone misses exactly the step that mattered. If it really needs to be longer, split it up.
The test: Give the instructions to someone who has never done the process before and watch without saying anything. Every time they hesitate or ask a question, a step is missing. It takes less than twenty minutes and yields more than three rounds of revisions.
Why work instructions are more than a document
A work instruction is the smallest form of knowledge management. As long as it exists only in one person's head, that person is a risk: during vacation, during illness, upon departure. Work instructions are the first place to solve that, and immediately the cheapest.
Where most companies go wrong: they do a one-off catch-up, add twenty instructions, and then it fizzles out. Preserving knowledge isn’t a project but a habit — and that’s exactly where it... a Bedrijfsgeheugen revolves around.
Frequently asked questions
A procedure describes who is responsible for what and which steps a process goes through. A work instruction describes how to actually carry out one of those steps, so that someone who has never done it before can do it correctly.
Yes. Use the eight-part structure and replace the names and systems with your own. Have the first draft written by the person who does the work.
One page, two if absolutely necessary. Longer than that usually means two processes are in one document.
The person doing the work, in the first draft. Someone else reads it and flags anything that only insiders can follow. The reverse rarely works.
Whenever the process changes, and otherwise once a year. Put the owner and date on the document, or it won’t get done.
For tasks you need to see, yes — setting up a machine, for example. Not for anything where someone needs to be able to jump in halfway through: you can't search or scan a video. The combination works best: a short video for the visual step, and text for the rest.
From knowing to doing
This article helps you get oriented. Then look at the concrete approach to make your business transferable.