For the 2008 documentary film by this name, see Standard Operating Procedure (film) . The term standard operating procedure, or SOP, is used in a variety of different contexts, including healthcare, aviation, engineering, education, industry, and military.uch procedures are a set of step-by-step instructions to achieve a predictable, standardized, desired result often within the context of a longer overall process. For food and drug safety, the related Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures are used.