Create a CustomGPT for SOPs: A Simple Guide for Online Entrepreneurs

If you’re running an online business, chances are you’ve felt overwhelmed at some point trying to keep track of everything. A CustomGPT for SOPs could be the answer you're looking for! Between managing tasks, communicating with customers, and launching new products, things can pile up quickly.

One way to stay ahead is by having solid SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and workflows in place — and a CustomGPT can make creating and managing them a whole lot easier.

What is a CustomGPT?

In non-techy terminology, a CustomGPT is just a version of ChatGPT that you personalize for your own needs. Instead of chatting with a general AI, you create a version that understands your business, your style, and the tasks you want help with.

A CustomGPT for SOPs is a ChatGPT bot that walks you through drafting an SOP for your business.

Setting one up is pretty simple. You fill out a few fields — telling the GPT what it's supposed to help with, what tone it should use, and any specific instructions you want it to follow. Once it’s ready, it can work alongside you almost like a smart assistant that already knows your business.

You don't need to know coding or have any special tech skills. If you can write down a few instructions clearly, you can build a CustomGPT.

Why is it Important for Online Businesses?

Running a business online means you’re juggling a lot: content creation, customer support, product development, marketing, and everything in between. A lot of these tasks require organization and clear communication — especially as you grow.

Without clear systems in place, you end up doing things differently every time, which leads to mistakes, lost time, and frustration. Even if you’re a solo business owner right now, documenting your processes is key. It frees up mental space and makes it easier to scale, delegate, or just take a vacation without worrying.

Using a CustomGPT helps you set up these systems faster and more consistently. Instead of starting from scratch, you can use it to build, edit, and update your SOPs and workflows as your business changes. That's the beauty of a CustomGPT for SOPs.

I use my business GPT's every single day. They are helping me to make my business more efficient so I can spend more time with my toddler, but still be making money. These are the 5 CustomGPTs I suggest for your business.

Why a CustomGPT for SOPs and Workflows?

SOPs and workflows are basically your business’s instruction manuals. They show exactly how to do tasks the right way, every time. When you have clear SOPs, you don’t have to second-guess yourself or waste time trying to remember what you did last time.

Here’s why building a CustomGPT for SOPs and workflows makes sense:

• Speed: It takes a lot less time to create new SOPs when a GPT helps you structure them.
• Consistency: Your processes will follow a similar format, making them easier to use or hand off to others.
• Flexibility: You can quickly update workflows as your business evolves without rewriting everything from scratch.

Instead of sitting down and trying to build a process from a blank page, you can prompt your CustomGPT to guide you through the questions you need to answer, organize your thoughts, and even suggest ways to improve the process.

What to Include in a CustomGPT for SOPs

If you’re building a CustomGPT to help with SOPs and workflows, here are some things you’ll want it to include:

• Task Overview: What is the task? What’s the goal?
• Step-by-Step Instructions: Clear, numbered steps to complete the task.
• Tools or Resources Needed: Any apps, templates, or links required.
• Timing or Frequency: How often the task should be done and any deadlines to watch for.
• Troubleshooting Tips: Common problems and how to fix them.
• Best Practices: Any tips or reminders for doing the task more effectively.
• Who’s Responsible: If you have a team, note who should do what.

You can also have your GPT ask you these questions if you’re not sure what to include. It helps you think through the task thoroughly without missing anything important.

Example:
When setting up an SOP for publishing a blog post, the GPT might prompt you to list:

• How to format the blog post
• Where to upload images
• How to optimize for SEO
• Where and when to share it on social media

Over time, your GPT will make it easier to capture every important step without you having to reinvent the wheel every time.

How to Set Up Your Own SOP and Workflow GPT

Ready to create one? Here’s a simple walkthrough to get you started:

Step 1: Open your CustomGPT builder

In ChatGPT, click in the Explore GPT's on the left menu bar. Then click on the “+ Create” button in the top right hand side. This opens a new GPT draft

Step 2: Fill out the basic info

There are two ways you can do this – the “Create” way (easier way) or the “Configure” way (for the more experienced user).l These two options are found at the top of the screen.

In the Configure Way, fill in the sections just as you see in the second print screen from Step 1. This is for people who are used to AI or know exactly how they want their GPT to work.

Name your GPT something clear, like “SOP Builder” or “Workflow Assistant.” Or even have use ChatGPT to come up with a witty name. Just remember if you're going to make this public and you want people to find it, the name should be SEO friendly (aka searchable).

In the instructions section, explain that the GPT’s main job is to guide users through writing clear SOPs and workflows. This is where it can get difficult if you're not sure exactly what to prompt for instructions. A good set of criteria is to list what the GPT should ask users.

Include prompts like:

• “What task are you creating an SOP for?”
• “What are the exact steps to complete this task?”
• “Are there any special tools, templates, or links involved?”
• “What should someone do if something goes wrong?”
• “How often should this task be completed?”

You can even add examples so to ensure the GPT fully understands what you mean. So in this case you could upload a couple examples of an SOP.

Next is the Create Way – this is the easier way. Click in “Create”. This is going to walk you through, step by step, how to create the GPT. It's going to ask you questions about what you want, you answer, and it will build your “instructions” for you.

First thing it's going to ask what kind of bot you want to create, it'll give you a suggest name which you can accept or ask it to brainstorm more. After the name, it'll create you an image. At any time you can ask it to change, update, redo, etc. until you're satisfied.

3. Test it out

Try using your new GPT with a few different tasks (aka ask it create a few different SOPs and analyze it's output). See if it asks the right questions and gives you a useful draft. If not, tweak the instructions a little.

4. Update as you go

Like anything in business, you’ll probably find small ways to improve it over time. Don’t be afraid to go back and update your GPT to make it even more helpful.

Your first rendition won't be perfect, but I would almost bet money (I'm not much of a gambler but I'd be tempted to here) that you'll save time right off the bat with this CustomGPT for SOPs. And the more you use it and tweak it, the better it'll become.

Want to try this specific CustomGPT? Check out the SOP Architect (coming soon)!

Frequently Asked Questions: CustomGPT for SOPs & Workflows

What is a CustomGPT and how does it help with SOPs?

A CustomGPT is a version of ChatGPT that you personalize to help with specific tasks—like writing SOPs. It guides you through the process by asking the right questions and helping you structure each step clearly.

Do I need technical skills to create one?

Not at all. You can build a CustomGPT by simply answering setup questions—no coding or advanced tech knowledge needed.

What should I include in my SOP-focused GPT?

Your GPT should ask for the task name, step-by-step instructions, tools or links needed, timing or frequency, and any troubleshooting tips.

Can I change my CustomGPT later?

Yes! You can go back and edit the instructions or behavior anytime as your business or processes evolve.

Final Thoughts

Setting up a CustomGPT for SOPs and workflows doesn’t have to be complicated. With just a little upfront work, you can build a tool that helps you create consistent, organized systems across your whole business.

When your SOPs and workflows are in place, everything else feels lighter — because you’re not constantly trying to remember how you did things last time. You’re simply following a plan that already works.

In 2025 and beyond, having good systems will be what separates the businesses that keep growing from the ones that get stuck. A CustomGPT is just one simple way to give yourself a head start.

If you’ve been meaning to get your business more organized, this is a great place to begin.