SOP vs post order

SOP vs post order: the difference an officer feels at 2am.

The terms get used interchangeably, but the distinction matters. An SOP describes how a procedure works in general. A post order is that procedure made specific to one post, one site, and one set of contacts.

People moveOwners and contacts transfer or leave
Sites changeDoors, posts, and systems are reconfigured
No ownerWith no owner and no date, drift is invisible
The essentials

What sop vs post order requires.

01

SOP: the standard

The general procedure that applies across sites.

02

Post order: the specifics

The same procedure bound to one post and building.

03

SOP: who and what

Defines roles, steps, and policy.

04

Post order: where and whom

Names the doors, codes, and people here.

05

Both need owners

Each requires an accountable owner and review.

06

Both drift

Each goes stale as people, sites, and systems change.

Why it matters

Officers follow post orders, so post orders must be exact.

An SOP can be perfectly written and still produce a failure if the post order built from it names a person who left or a door that moved.

Statusexample
SOP defines the standard
STANDARD
Post order binds it to the site
SPECIFIC
!
Post order names a contact who left
STALE
!
Post order assumes an old layout
DRIFT
Common questions

Frequently asked questions.

What is the difference between an SOP and a post order?

An SOP is the general procedure; a post order is that procedure made specific to one post, site, and set of contacts. Officers follow post orders.

Do you need both?

Usually yes: the SOP sets the standard and the post order applies it to a specific location, with the exact doors, codes, and people.

Can SOP Live handle both?

Yes. SOP Live audits SOPs and post orders for stale contacts, drifted steps, and missing owners.

See it on one of your own SOPs.

Run a single SOP through the free audit and see owners, contacts, and review status surfaced automatically.

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