AI Writing, Policy Writing, Procedure Writing
10 ‘PTCF’ Prompt Examples for SOPs
Apr
Yesterday, we started the Klariti Getting Started Guide to Prompt Engineering for SOPs.
Today, we’ll drill down into specific prompts you can use to write your SOPs.
We’ve put together a range of prompts to help novice writers to more experienced procedure writers.
Why Create Prompts for SOPs?
Writing standard operating procedures (SOPs) requires clarity, consistency, and precision—and a deep understanding of the subject matter, audience, and business goals.
As SOP writers begin to explore how to use AI tools to support this work, the quality of the prompts they provide becomes critical.
A well-structured prompt ensures that AI-generated content is not only relevant, but also tailored to the specific requirements of a professional SOP. This tutorial series introduces a systematic way to design effective prompts that guide AI models in generating high-quality SOP drafts, outlines, or revisions.
The PTCF Prompt Structure Format
To help SOP writers maximize the potential of prompt engineering, we break down the core structure of an effective prompt into four essential components: Persona, Task, Context, and Format.
Each element plays a distinct role.
- Persona: Defines the voice or expertise that the AI should adopt.
- Task: Describes the exact action to perform.
- Context: Grounds the prompt in a real-world scenario or operational setting.
- Format: Ensures the output aligns with professional SOP standards.
Used together, these elements give structure and direction to the AI’s output, reducing ambiguity and increasing usefulness.
In the sections that follow, we’ll walk through examples of three types of prompts—Simple, Intermediate, and Complex—to illustrate how the prompt structure can be scaled depending on the writing objective.
Whether you’re generating a basic draft, revising a technical section, or tailoring an SOP for regulatory compliance, the examples are designed to be directly adaptable to your workflow. Each prompt is clearly labeled with its scenario and structure, so you can repurpose them for your own SOP documentation needs.
Sample Prompts for SOP Writing
Here are examples of prompts you can adapt for different stages and complexities of SOP writing, leveraging the Persona, Task, Context, and Format (PTCF) structure.
Example Prompt Structure (as requested):
Title: Research and create SOP first draft
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Scenario: | Researching and creating the first draft of the SOP outline when you have the core process name but need the standard structure. |
| Prompt: |
Persona: Act as a procedure writer specializing in SOPs.
Task: Create a basic SOP outline for the process of ‘Installing Hybrid Engine’. Context: This outline will serve as the initial framework for a detailed SOP for automotive technicians with moderate experience. Format: Use a standard SOP section structure (e.g., Purpose, Scope, Responsibilities, Procedure Steps, Safety Considerations, References). List placeholders for the main procedure steps clearly. |
Simple Prompts
These prompts are for straightforward, single-focus tasks, often used for generating small pieces of content or refining existing text.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Define a Term |
Scenario: You need a clear, concise definition for a specific term used within your SOP to include in a glossary or definitions section. Prompt:
Persona: Act as a technical glossary writer.
Task: Provide a clear, concise definition for the term ‘Torque Wrench Calibration’. Context: This definition is for an SOP aimed at maintenance technicians in an aerospace facility. Assume they have basic mechanical knowledge but may not know the specifics of calibration. Format: Output a single, clear sentence definition. |
| 2. List Basic Steps |
Scenario: Quickly generating a simple sequence of actions for a very basic, low-risk task. Prompt:
Persona: You are an assistant documenting a simple office procedure.
Task: List the basic steps for replacing the toner cartridge in a ‘Model XYZ’ office printer. Context: The audience is general office staff with no technical background. Focus only on the physical steps required. Format: Provide a numbered list with 3-5 simple steps. |
| 3. Convert to Active Voice |
Scenario: You have a draft sentence or paragraph written in passive voice and want to make it clearer and more direct. Prompt:
Persona: You are an editor focused on clear, actionable writing.
Task: Rewrite the following sentence(s) using active voice: “The safety checklist must be completed by the operator before the machine is started.” Context: This is for a safety procedure where direct commands are preferred. Format: Provide only the revised sentence(s). |
Intermediate Prompts
These prompts involve slightly more complex tasks, requiring the AI to process more context, perform some analysis, or generate more structured content.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Draft Section from Notes |
Scenario: You have bullet points or notes from a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for a specific procedure section and need to turn them into a coherent draft. Prompt:
Persona: Act as a technical writer drafting procedures for laboratory staff.
Task: Draft the ‘Sample Preparation’ procedure steps based on the following notes. Context: Notes: “- Label vial with sample ID. – Pipette 5ml of reagent A into vial. – Vortex mix for 30 seconds. – Incubate at 37°C for 15 minutes. – Check for color change.” The audience is trained lab technicians familiar with basic lab equipment. Format: Create a numbered list of clear, actionable steps. Start each step with a verb. Ensure safety precautions like wearing gloves are implicitly understood or mentioned if critical for a specific step. |
| 2. Identify Safety Requirements |
Scenario: You have described a process and need help identifying potential hazards and required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Prompt:
Persona: You are a safety officer reviewing a manufacturing process.
Task: Identify potential safety hazards and list the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the task of ‘Manual Arc Welding of Steel Plates’. Context: The process involves using a standard arc welder in a designated welding booth. Assume standard workshop ventilation. Consider risks from heat, sparks, fumes, and UV radiation. Format: Provide two bulleted lists: one for ‘Potential Hazards’ and one for ‘Required PPE’. |
| 3. Simplify Technical Text |
Scenario: You have a technically dense paragraph from an engineering document that needs to be included in an operator’s SOP, requiring simplification. Prompt:
Persona: You are a communication specialist skilled in translating technical jargon into plain language.
Task: Rewrite the following paragraph for an audience of machine operators with a high school education level. Avoid overly technical terms where possible. Context: Original Paragraph: “The system utilizes a PID controller algorithm to modulate the actuator position, thereby maintaining the process variable proximate to the designated setpoint by minimizing the integral of the error signal over time.” Format: Provide the revised paragraph in simple, clear language. |
Complex Prompts
These prompts tackle more involved tasks, often requiring the AI to synthesize information from multiple sources, adhere to strict constraints, or generate comprehensive sections.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Draft Full Section with Constraints |
Scenario: Creating a comprehensive SOP section that integrates procedural steps, specific safety warnings, responsibilities, and references based on detailed input. Prompt:
Persona: Act as a senior technical writer in the pharmaceutical industry, adhering to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) principles.
Task: Draft the ‘Operation of Tablet Press Machine Model Z’ section of an SOP. Context: Combine these elements: – Procedure Steps: [List of detailed steps provided by SME, e.g., Load dies, Fill hopper with granulation, Set machine parameters (weight, hardness), Start press, Perform in-process checks every 15 mins]. – Safety Warnings: Include specific warnings before starting: ‘Ensure all safety guards are in place’ and during operation: ‘Do not reach into moving parts’. – Responsibilities: Specify ‘Operator’ is responsible for operation and in-process checks; ‘Supervisor’ for verifying setup. – Reference: Refer to ‘Machine Manual Z-123’. Format: Structure the output with clear subheadings for ‘Responsibilities’, ‘Safety Precautions’, ‘Procedure’, and ‘References’. Ensure steps are numbered, clear, and concise, using active voice. Integrate warnings at appropriate points within the procedure steps or under Safety Precautions. |
| 2. Compare Versions & Summarize Changes |
Scenario: You have updated an SOP section and need a summary of the changes for the revision history or to communicate updates to stakeholders. Prompt:
Persona: You are a document control specialist responsible for tracking SOP revisions.
Task: Compare the ‘Old Version Text’ with the ‘New Version Text’ provided below and generate a summary of the substantive changes made. Context: This summary is for the document’s revision history log. Focus on changes to steps, responsibilities, or safety information, ignoring minor grammatical fixes unless they change meaning. Old Version Text: [Paste relevant section from the old SOP version here] New Version Text: [Paste the corresponding section from the new SOP version here] Format: Provide a bulleted list outlining the key modifications (e.g., “Step 3 updated to include X”, “Safety warning added regarding Y”, “Responsibility shifted from Z to A”). |
| 3. Create Troubleshooting Guide from Data |
Scenario: You need to add a practical troubleshooting guide to an SOP based on known issues and solutions. Prompt:
Persona: Act as an experienced field service engineer creating support documentation.
Task: Develop a troubleshooting guide section for the ‘Automated Liquid Handler ALH-5000’ SOP. Context: Use the following common issues and their verified solutions: – Issue: ‘Pipetting volume inaccurate’; Solution: ‘Recalibrate pipetting head per Maintenance SOP M-101’. – Issue: ‘System Halt – Error Code E-05 (Low Reagent)’; Solution: ‘Refill Reagent Reservoir R2 and restart protocol’. – Issue: ‘ Robotic arm collision detected’; Solution: ‘Perform Arm Reset Procedure (Section 7.2) and check for obstructions’. The audience is trained lab personnel who operate the machine daily. Format: Create a table with three columns: ‘Symptom / Error Code’, ‘Possible Cause’, and ‘Recommended Action / Solution’. Populate the table with the provided information. |
Next Steps
Using the PTCF prompt structure—Persona, Task, Context, and Format—helps you generate more accurate, relevant, and professionally structured SOP content with AI tools.
By clearly defining each part of the prompt, you minimize ambiguity and guide the AI to produce outputs that align with your documentation standards. As you become more familiar with this approach, you’ll find it easier to draft, revise, and optimize your SOPs efficiently.
For more practical guidance, explore the other tutorials on the Klariti site, where you’ll find step-by-step examples and advanced techniques to enhance your SOP writing using AI.
