BobbinQuick answer
Record the task once, in real time, in 2–6 min: say when it runs and why, show each step on real (or test) data, call out the checks, and end with where the output goes. Pair it with a written checklist. Script below.
The script: SOP: a recurring task, step by step (2–6 min)
Use when: Any task done weekly or monthly by someone who might be away (invoicing, payroll export, a report).
Set up:
- Do the task for real while recording, not a pretend run
- Number the steps on a sticky note
- Have the "done" definition ready (the file, the email, the status)
| Time | Show / beat | Say (fill the [blanks]) |
|---|---|---|
| 0–15 s | Task card | SOP: [TASK NAME]. Done every [FREQUENCY] by [ROLE]. Takes about [MINUTES]. You need access to [TOOLS]. |
| 15–30 s | Definition of done | When you are finished, [CONCRETE END STATE, e.g. "the invoice PDF is in /Finance/2026 and the client has it"]. |
| 30–end | Steps | Step 1: [ACTION]. Step 2: [ACTION]. … At step [N], be careful: [TRAP]. |
| end-30 s | Check | Before you close, check [CHECK 1] and [CHECK 2]. |
| end | Version | This was recorded on [DATE]. If the screens look different, tell [OWNER]. |
Why it works: Say the recording date out loud. Tools change; a dated SOP tells the viewer when to be suspicious of what they see.
Close: A check, then the date.
Plain-text version to copy
SOP: a recurring task, step by step (2–6 min)
Use when: Any task done weekly or monthly by someone who might be away (invoicing, payroll export, a report).
Set up:
- Do the task for real while recording, not a pretend run
- Number the steps on a sticky note
- Have the "done" definition ready (the file, the email, the status)
[0–15 s] Task card
"SOP: [TASK NAME]. Done every [FREQUENCY] by [ROLE]. Takes about [MINUTES]. You need access to [TOOLS]."
[15–30 s] Definition of done
"When you are finished, [CONCRETE END STATE, e.g. "the invoice PDF is in /Finance/2026 and the client has it"]."
[30–end] Steps
"Step 1: [ACTION]. Step 2: [ACTION]. … At step [N], be careful: [TRAP]."
[end-30 s] Check
"Before you close, check [CHECK 1] and [CHECK 2]."
[end] Version
"This was recorded on [DATE]. If the screens look different, tell [OWNER]."
Close: A check, then the date.Add the exceptions: the playbook pairs this with an "when it goes wrong, do this" script (O7) for the three or four failures that actually happen.
Record the video part
Keep the script open on a second screen or a printed page, and record in one take; pause between sections instead of stopping. Bobbin is a free Chrome extension that records your screen, a window or a tab with your microphone and an optional webcam bubble. No account, no watermark, no time limit, and nothing is uploaded: the file stays on your computer.
- Click the Bobbin icon in Chrome's toolbar and choose Record screen, window or tab.
- Pick your microphone and turn on the camera if you want the webcam bubble.
- Press Start recording, choose what to share in Chrome's picker, and wait for the 3-second countdown.
- Pause with Alt+Shift+P, stop with Alt+Shift+S, then press Download to save the file.
Share a window or the entire screen so your webcam bubble is in the video (it doesn't appear in single-tab recordings). Bobbin saves MP4 where your browser supports it (Chrome 126 or newer), WebM otherwise, and tells you which it used.
File size: our 60-minute 1080p test came to about 246 MB (roughly 4 MB a minute) on a simple synthetic screen; busy real screens can be larger, so a 1–2 minute clip is usually small enough to attach.
From The Async Video Playbook
This is 1 of 52 scripts. The full playbook: 52 fill-in-the-blank scripts for demos, bug reports, onboarding and SOPs, sales, support, async updates and lessons.
See the playbook ($14, one-time) PDF, Docs/Word, Sheets, Notion · 7-day refund · 3 more free scripts on the page