Free Lean Tool

Work Instruction Template

A work instruction isn’t a wall of prose — it’s a job breakdown. Split the job into important steps, and for each one capture the key points that make or break it and the reason each one matters. Fill it in below, add a photo per step, and print it for the floor.

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A work instruction is a job breakdown

It isn’t a wall of prose. You split any job into its important steps, and for each step you capture the key points that make or break it and the reason each one matters. That structure is what lets a new person do the job right, safely, from the sheet.

The examples are fully worked — switch industries (Automotive, Healthcare, Café…) to see the same pattern applied.

Example

Operation / Job

Part / Product

Area / Line

Prepared by

Rev.

Date

Important StepsWhat — a logical segment that advances the job

Key PointsHow — safety, quality, or the knack

ReasonsWhy the key point matters

Photo

Lift with two hands, line up the center bore first
Keep fingers clear of the stud tips

A tire is heavy and awkward — lining up the bore first stops the studs gouging the mating face
Studs are sharp; a slipped wheel pinches fingers against them

add photo

Start every nut by hand before any tool touches it
Tapered side of the nut faces the wheel

Hand-starting is the only way to feel a cross-thread before the gun ruins the stud
The taper self-centers the wheel; backwards it never clamps and works loose

add photo

Star sequence, not around the circle
Two stages — snug all, then torque all

Going around the circle pulls the wheel on cocked and can warp the brake rotor
Snug-then-torque keeps the clamp load even across all studs

add photo

Torque to spec — 120 Nm — no more, no less
Wait for the click; re-check each nut once

Under-torque lets the wheel come loose on the road; over-torque stretches the stud until it snaps
One missed nut isn't visible — the second pass is the catch

add photo

Key-point type: Safety — could injure the worker Quality — could make a defect Technique — the knack that makes it easier

Want an editable copy?

Download the free Work Instruction template — the important-steps / key-points / reasons breakdown with a photo column per step, ready to fill in. Opens in Excel and Google Sheets.

What is a work instruction?

A work instruction is the document that shows one person exactly how to do one job — safely, to standard, and the same way every time. The strong versions don’t read like a manual; they follow the Training Within Industry (TWI) Job Instruction breakdown that Toyota still uses to teach standardized work: every job is split into important steps, and each step carries its key points and the reasons behind them.

Important steps, key points, and reasons

An important step is a logical segment of the job when something happens to advance the work — not every motion, just the meaningful chunks. A key point is anything that would make or break the job, injure the worker, or is a knack that makes the work easier; this tool tags each one as Safety, Quality, or Technique. The reasonis why the key point matters — and it’s the part people skip. “Snug the nuts in a star pattern” is a rule to be forgotten; “…so the wheel seats flat and doesn’t warp the rotor” is a reason to be remembered, and it’s what lets a worker adapt when conditions change.

How to use this tool

Start from one of the loaded examples — manufacturing, healthcare, café, warehouse, or a home kitchen — then edit it, or click Start blank. Name the job, add a row per important step, and for each step write its key points and reasons. Click a key-point tag to switch it between Safety, Quality, and Technique. Add a photo per step so the instruction is visual. When it’s ready, use Print / Save PDF for a clean sheet for the floor, or download the editable Excel template.

Related tools

Standardized Work Combination Table — time each element against takt to balance the work
Standardized Work Chart— map the layout and the operator’s walking path
Time Observation Sheet — capture the cycle-time data behind the standard
Training Matrix — track who is trained to each work instruction