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Work Instruction Template

A work instruction describes how to do one task, step by step, so anyone trained for it gets the same result. This template gives you the standard written format: document control, purpose and scope, references, responsibilities, safety, tools, numbered steps with key points and reasons, acceptance criteria, records and revision history.

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Who this template is for

Manufacturing, process and quality engineers writing or rewriting a controlled work instruction
Supervisors and trainers who need one format for every task in an area
Document control owners setting a standard layout for the QMS

When to use it

A task needs written steps to be done the same way by every shift
An audit finding or nonconformance traced back to a missing or unclear instruction
A new process, product or machine is being released
You need a text-first controlled document; for a photo-led station sheet use the visual work instruction template

Standards it supports

ISO 9001:2015 7.5 — Documented information is identified, reviewed and approved, kept current, and available where it is needed.
ISO 9001:2015 8.5.1 — Controlled production includes documented information describing the activities to perform and the results to achieve.
IATF 16949:2016 8.5.1.2 — Operator instructions are communicated to and understood by the people doing the work and are accessible at the workstation.
AS9100D 8.5.1 — Adds aerospace expectations to controlled production, including evidence that planned production and inspection operations were completed.

How to use this template

Fill the document control header — record the WI number, revision, title, owner, effective date and approvals.
State purpose, scope and references — say what the instruction achieves, where and to what it applies, and which drawings and procedures it relies on.
List responsibilities, safety and tools — name who does and who checks the task, the hazards and PPE, and every tool, gauge and material.
Write numbered steps — give each step one action starting with a verb, a key point that makes it right, and the reason for it.
Define acceptance criteria and records — say how a good result is checked and what is recorded where.
Validate and release — have a trained person do the task from the draft, fix every question they ask, then approve and log the revision.

What's inside the template

Document control

WI number, Revision, Title, Owner, Effective date, Next review, Prepared by, Approved by

Purpose and scope

What the instruction achieves; parts, areas and people it applies to

References

Document, Number / revision

Responsibilities

Role, Responsibility

Safety and PPE

Task hazards, Required PPE

Tools and materials

Item, ID / part number, Notes

Procedure

#, Step, Key point, Reason

Acceptance criteria

Characteristic, Requirement, How checked

Records

Record, Where kept

Revision history

Rev, Date, Change, Approved by

Example: a completed template

Example Example Manufacturing Co., a fictional machine shop, hand-deburrs machined aluminum brackets before final inspection. All values are example values from the fictional drawing, not recommendations.

Document control

WI number / revision	WI-FIN-009 / Rev A
Title	Hand-deburr machined bracket BRK-410
Owner	Manufacturing engineering
Effective date	2026-10-24
Next review	2027-10-24
Approved by	Manufacturing engineer and quality engineer (signatures on controlled copy)

Purpose and scope

Purpose: remove burrs and break sharp edges so brackets are safe to handle and fit at assembly
Scope: bracket BRK-410, all revisions from C, deburr bench 2, trained finishing operators

References

Drawing BRK-410 rev C (edge break note 3)
Final inspection checklist FI-410

Safety and PPE

Hazard: sharp edges and burrs. PPE: cut-resistant gloves, safety glasses
Hazard: loose deburring blade. Check the blade is locked before use

Procedure

#	Step	Key point	Reason
1	Check the part number and revision on the traveler	Matches the drawing at the bench	Edge requirements differ by revision
2	Deburr all machined edges with the hand deburring tool	Stroke away from your body, one direction	Back-and-forth strokes roll a new burr
3	Break the edges of the two mounting holes	Light, even chamfer all the way round	A sharp hole edge cuts the assembler and marks the fastener
4	Blow off chips at the extraction hood	Inside the hood, away from people	Loose chips scratch mating faces at assembly
5	Check the edge break with the gauge on two edges per part	Within 0.2–0.5 mm	Proves the edge meets drawing note 3
6	Place the part in the inspected tray and sign the traveler	One part at a time, no stacking	Stacked aluminum parts scratch each other

Acceptance criteria

No burr detectable by a gloved fingertip on any machined edge
Edge break 0.2–0.5 mm on the two gauged edges (example drawing note 3)
No scratches on the mounting face

Records

Traveler signed at step 6, kept with the job packet

The math in this Example

Edge break from the Example drawing: 0.35 mm ± 0.15 mm = nominal 0.35 mm
Lower limit: 0.35 − 0.15 = 0.20 mm
Upper limit: 0.35 + 0.15 = 0.50 mm
Next review with a 12-month cycle (example value): 2026-10-24 + 12 months = 2027-10-24

How to fill in each field

Field	What to enter	Example
WI number and revision	The number on your master document list and the current revision. An auditor should be able to trace it in one step.	Example: WI-FIN-009 Rev A
Title	Verb + object + part or area. One task per instruction.	Example: Hand-deburr machined bracket BRK-410
Purpose	One sentence on what the task achieves and why it matters.
Scope	The parts, revisions, areas and people it covers, and anything it does not cover.
References	Drawings, specifications and procedures by number and revision. Reference values instead of retyping them where you can.
Responsibilities	Who performs, who checks and who approves. Use roles, not names.
Safety and PPE	Hazards of this task and the PPE for it. Put each safety callout on the step where the hazard occurs as well.
Step	One action, starting with a verb. If it needs “and”, it is probably two steps.
Key point	What makes the step right: quality, safety or technique. Make it something a trainer can observe.
Reason	Why the key point matters. People follow key points more reliably when they know the consequence.
Acceptance criteria	How the result is checked, with the same limits as the drawing or control plan.
Revision history	Rev, date, what changed and who approved. Describe the change, not just “updated”.

Common mistakes

Several tasks in one instruction. Keep one task per instruction and link related instructions in References.
Steps that describe instead of instruct. Start every step with a verb: “Tighten”, “Check”, “Record”.
Key points that cannot be checked, such as “be careful”. State the observable condition, such as “stroke away from your body, one direction”.
Retyping drawing values that then go out of date. Reference the drawing note, or copy the value and review the WI whenever the drawing changes.
Safety only in a header block. Keep the summary, and repeat each callout on the step where the hazard occurs.
Releasing without a trial run. Have a trained person who did not write it do the task from the draft first.

Frequently asked questions

What should a work instruction include?

Document control, purpose and scope, references, responsibilities, safety and PPE, tools and materials, numbered steps with key points and reasons, acceptance criteria, records and revision history.

How is this different from the visual work instruction template?

This is the text-first controlled format with purpose, scope, references and records. The visual template is a photo-led station sheet for one task. Many teams keep this as the master and post a visual version at the station.

What is the difference between a work instruction and an SOP?

An SOP describes a process across roles: who does what and when. A work instruction describes how one task is done, step by step.

How long should a work instruction be?

Long enough for one task and no longer. If it runs past a couple of pages, split it into separate tasks.

Can I use the Example as my instruction?

Use it as a model for the level of detail. Every value in it is an example value from a fictional drawing; replace them with your own.

Work Instruction Template

Who this template is for

When to use it

Standards it supports

How to use this template

What's inside the template

Example: a completed template

Document control

Purpose and scope

References

Safety and PPE

Procedure

Acceptance criteria

Records

The math in this Example

How to fill in each field

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

See also

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