What is the purpose of a revision history in an SOP?

• A. To enforce mandatory training schedules
• B. To document changes, rationale, dates, and sign-offs, enabling traceability of updates
• C. To track monthly usage statistics
• D. To store equipment calibration data

Answer: (B)

Revision history in an SOP records every change to the document: what was changed, why the change was needed, the date of the change, and who approved it. This creates traceability of updates, so anyone can see how the procedure has evolved and verify that the current version is the one in use. It supports accountability and compliance by providing an auditable trail showing when changes happened and who signed off. It also helps governance by clarifying when a modification might require retesting or retraining, and it makes it possible to revert to an earlier version if needed. It is not about training schedules, usage statistics, or calibration data.