10 Free Policies and Procedures Template

Section 1.0 – Purpose

The first section that should be included in any policy is the purpose.
The policy purpose is a brief statement about the intended purpose of the policy, why it is being put into place, and should articulate the overall goal of the policy.

Section 2.0 – Policy Details

The second section should describe the details of the policy.
Here a policy writer should detail the specific information, principles, and any other particulars relating to that policy outlined in key points.

Section 3.0 – Policy Scope

The third section should contain the scope of the policy. The “who” or “what” of the policy. Which persons, departments, branches, regions, etc. does this policy affect?
The information in this section should also note which actions are impacted by the policy.

Section 4.0 – Related Policies

The fourth section should contain any and all other policies that are related to the original policy. Be sure to include how the other policy or policies are related. Also include links and location information to related policies.

Section 5.0 – Policy Owner

The fifth section should detail the owner of the policy. An organization should assign a responsible party for each policy. The policy owner is the individual who is given the responsibility to review, edit and maintain the policy. The policy owner will also be the point of contact for any questions regarding said policy.

Section 6.0 – Definitions

The sixth section should include definitions for words or phrases used in the policy details section of the policy. This is where any and all verbiage should be defined clearly and without misinterpretation.

Section 7.0 – Procedures

The seventh section should include the procedures that coincide with the policy.
This section should be an easy-to-follow, step-by-step list of actions that should be followed in order to fulfill the policy agreements. The procedures should be very specific with definite beginning and ending points.

Section 8.0 – Exhibits/Appendices/Forms

The eighth section should include any exhibits, appendices or forms that are tied to the policy. This additional information should be linked to or a specific location of the information should be noted. The policy owner should test the links and confirm location regularly to ensure function.

Section 9.0 – Supporting Information

The ninth section should include additional information regarding the policy that has not been covered so far in sections 1.0-8.0. Here the policy owner can make any miscellaneous notations about the policy or link to any related information such as exclusions or special situations.

Section 10.0 – Document History

The tenth section should include a detailed history of each version of the policy document. This section should include a detailed history of any minor and/or major adjustment made to the policy.