# Video editing SOP template for agencies

> A video editing SOP template for agencies: eight stages from intake to archive with owners, outputs and time limits, plus a file naming rule you can copy.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-06
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-templates/video-editing-sop-template

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A video editing SOP (standard operating procedure) is a written workflow. It says who does what, in which order, with which files and which check.

## The template

Copy this and fill the brackets for your agency.

```
VIDEO EDITING SOP: [Agency]    Owner: [name]    Updated: [date]

STAGE 1  INTAKE
Owner: [account manager]    Input: [brief, footage link]
Output: [project folder, ticket]    Time limit: [0.5 day]
Done when: [the brief is complete and the footage opens]

STAGE 2  ROUGH CUT
Owner: [editor]    Input: [brief, script]    Output: [rough cut link]
Time limit: [1 day]    Done when: [story and length are right]

STAGE 3  POLISH
Owner: [editor]    Work: [captions, sound, colour, text]
Output: [first cut]    Time limit: [1 day]
Done when: [the video editing checklist is ticked]

STAGE 4  INTERNAL CHECK
Owner: [lead editor]    Output: [approved, or notes]    Time limit: [0.5 day]

STAGE 5  CLIENT REVIEW
Owner: [account manager]    Output: [one numbered list of notes]
Time limit: [1 day, on the client side]

STAGE 6  REVISION
Owner: [editor]    Input: [numbered notes]    Output: [next version]
Time limit: [1 day]    Rounds included: [2]

STAGE 7  EXPORT AND DELIVERY
Owner: [editor]    Output: [final files in every ratio, caption file]
Time limit: [0.5 day]

STAGE 8  ARCHIVE
Owner: [account manager]
Output: [project file, raw footage, final exports, notes]

FILE NAME: [Client]_[Ad]_[ratio]_[version]_[date]
Example:   Brand_Bottle-Hook1_9x16_v2_2026-11-03
```

## Time limits at a glance

| Stage | Owner | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Intake | Account manager | 0.5 day |
| Rough cut | Editor | 1 day |
| Polish | Editor | 1 day |
| Internal check | Lead editor | 0.5 day |
| Client review | Client | 1 day |
| Revision | Editor | 1 day |
| Export and delivery | Editor | 0.5 day |

## A worked example

Add the limits from the table: 0.5 + 1 + 1 + 0.5 + 1 + 1 + 0.5 = 5.5 working days.

Say a client asks how long one ad takes. The table covers one revision round, so you quote 6 working days from a complete brief (5.5 rounded up).

A second round adds 1 day of editing and 1 day of review. That is 5.5 + 2 = 7.5, so quote 8 working days for 2 rounds. Use your own limits.

## Checks at each stage

| Stage | Check | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Intake | The brief is complete | [Video editor brief template](/templates/video-editor-brief-template) |
| Polish | Every line is ticked | [Video editing checklist](/templates/video-editing-checklist) |
| Client review | Notes arrive as one list | [Video revision feedback template](/templates/video-revision-feedback-template) |
| Delivery | Sizes and files match the platform | [Video ad specs cheat sheet](/templates/video-ad-specs-cheat-sheet) |

## Make the SOP stick

- **Give each stage one owner.** Two owners mean no owner.
- **Write "done when" in plain words.** An editor should know without asking.
- **Name files by rule.** Never overwrite a file. Add a new version.
- **Keep folders the same for every client.** For example: Brief, Footage, Project, Exports, Delivered.
- **Time-box reviews.** An open review blocks the next stage, so set a reply time.
- **Review the SOP each quarter.** Change a step when your team keeps working around it.

Price your stages with the [video editor rate card template](/templates/video-editor-rate-card-template).

## One workspace per client

In Marxx's AI video editor, each project belongs to a client workspace: the owner edits, and the team can open it read-only and see who is in it. You can also save a client's caption theme (see [Marxx for agencies](/for/agencies)). We make Marxx.

## FAQ

### How long should an SOP be?

One to two pages. People follow what they can read in a few minutes.

### Who should own the SOP?

One named person, who updates it when a step changes.

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- [More Video editing articles](https://marxx.ai/library-templates/category/video-editing)
- [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-templates)