Stress free internal audits?

Tips and tricks for stress free internal quality system audits

Tip No: 1

It really comes down to the old Boy Scout motto "BE PREPARED".

Have you added the dates of all your proposed internal and external audits to a calendar / schedule? Having this ready for the auditors gives them confidence that you are maintaining your quality system.

Tip No: 2

Make sure that for each date scheduled you detail the scope of the audit.

• Which processes are you planning to audit? 
• Are there associated work instructions, forms you would expect to review?
• Have you identified the process owners or auditees you will need to contact?

• Mark-up photocopies of each procedure being audited - add questions, highlight forms / records you would expect to witness
• If you use a generic Audit Checklist then review it and ensure its continuing validity, add further questions and highlight forms / records you would expect to witness

Contact the auditee at least three working days before the scheduled dates and confirm availability / times.

The Quality Systems Toolbox - CALENDAR allows scheduled events to be posted into your MSOutlook calendar so that you can email attendees and set alarms.

Before undertaking your audit, check previous audit records for any outstanding audit findings - find out why these action items have not been "closed out".

Review these "issues" in the Quality Systems Toolbox -  ISSUE TRACKER.

Put the auditee at ease right from the start of the "opening meeting" - introduce yourself, explain that you are auditing the system not the personnel.  Inform the auditee how any areas of non-compliance will be documented and raised in the system. Reinforce the message of continual improvement.

Make sure that you record details of all documents and records shown to you during the audit. Record dates, part numbers, order numbers, customer names  - this "objective evidence" may need to be checked by your External Auditors. Make sure it is legible.

Prepare your Audit Report as soon as possible after completion of the audit. The longer you leave it the more detail gets lost / forgotten.

Post your Audit Report as a *pdf document to the Quality Systems Toolbox - DOCUMENTS module. It will not get lost, eveyone can find it - you can even send emails via Quality Systems Toolbox to advise users of its availability.

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