Support - FAQs

What is Quality Systems Toolbox?

Quality Systems Toolbox is a secure, web-based system that is tailored to the needs of companies running ISO 9001 quality management systems.

Who is behind Quality Systems Toolbox?

Quality Systems Toolbox was developed by 3 university-qualified engineers.

Ian Clark is a business consultant who has provided management systems and process improvement solutions to manufacturing and service organisations in Australia and SE Asia for many years, and has built numerous Quality Management Systems. Ian was getting frustrated with paper-based systems getting dusty on the corner bookshelf, and having to travel to each client in order to work on their system.

He thought that there had to be a better way!

Darcy Clark has many years experience in building Content Management Systems for both large and small organisations. A web-based content management system seemed ideal for managing the documents which comprise a Quality Manual. Starting with this simple goal, Quality Systems Toolbox has developed into a comprehensive web-based quality management system. Darcy also has a Ph.d in Manufacturing and Materials Engineering.

Corinna Wauchope is involved in the programming of Quality Systems Toolbox. She also has experience in developing database systems, providing training in complex procedures and writing documentation. Corinna also has a Ph.d in Manufacturing and Materials Engineering.

We already have an intranet for our policies and procedures ?

A company intranet gives you somewhere to store your documents but it does not typically address the requirements of ISO9001 in terms of access and control of your documents. Access to your intranet documents from branch sites or out of the office can also be difficult or sometimes impossible.

The Quality Systems Toolbox doesn’t limit where you work or control documents from – you can access your documents and scheduled events from any computer connected to the Internet at any time, 24/7/365.

Isn’t it going to be a big hassle to put all of our documentation on QST ?

There is always some effort involved when changing from one system to another. QST has a number of built-in tools to make this process quick and easy. The small, one-off effort is worth it because QST will significantly reduce your compliance costs and headaches.

What about security? How safe is our data?

Quality Systems Toolbox uses 256-bit SSL encryption for all customer sites. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browsers remain private and integral. SSL is an industry standard and is used by millions of websites in the protection of their online transactions with their customers.

To be able to create an SSL connection a web server requires an SSL Certificate. We purchase SSL certificates for all of our customer sites from Comodo, a reputable and experienced provider of SSL products.

We already have a paper-based QMS

Paper-based QMS systems can be purchased - you might already own one! The trouble with paper-based systems is that they are inaccessible. By that we mean that paper systems usually sit inside a filing cabinet or on a shelf in an office doing very little most of the time because they are not accessible enough to your employees.

As such paper QMS system are also often lumped in the "too hard" or "too much work" baskets - i.e. after chasing down this register and that procedure employees can often decide to neglect require parts or all of your quality system.

What if you have more than one office ? Or if you are a multinational? A paper-based QMS simply falls apart in these situations while our web-based system brings all of your employees together and integrates your QMS across your offices and sites.

What about auditors ? Do you think they enjoying waiting while you track down this document and that chasing down the paper-trail. Our experience has been that auditors prefer to have your QMS at their fingertips - something which the QST achieves.

Who has access to my Quality Systems Toolbox site?

Each of our clients gets a unique Quality Systems Toolbox site. When you sign up you will usually nominate an administrative contact - this person will then be able to create user accounts for each of your users. Anyone who does not have either a user or administrative account will not be able to view any content contained within your site.

Apart from authorised QS employees and QS programming staff, all access to your environment is controlled by logins and passwords that you control.

Authorised QS employees will only access your information if it’s necessary for training purposes. QS programmers will only access information when there is a reported technical issue.

Can my suppliers or customers access my Quality Systems Toolbox?

Quality Systems Toolbox is an secure members only site and is not meant to be your public website.

It was designed to be used internally by your employees to securely share your organisational information - particularly information related to running a very visible and accessible compliance management system.

That said, you may create user accounts and give them to whoever you choose, provided you take responsibility for the actions of all your users (see Terms of Service).

How will I be billed?

A valid Visa or Mastercard credit card is required.

Your account is paid in advance each month. Your designated billing contact will receive an invoice via email by the first day of each month. Your credit card will be billed automatically one week later.

The amount you pay each month is based on the number of users you have registered at the time of invoicing.

Do I need to install additional software in order to run QST?

No – QST is a web-based application. All you need is a web browser. Browsers are free and come pre-installed in all PCs.

What browsers are supported by QST?

QST runs on Internet Explorer 6, 7 and higher, Firefox 2 and higher, Safari, and Google Chrome.

Do I need to purchase a server or any other hardware to run QST ?

How do we cancel our account ?

We'll confirm the cancellation with your designated contact person before we go ahead.

All of your Content will be deleted from the Service upon cancellation. This information can not be recovered once your account is canceled. If you cancel the Service before the end of your current paid up month, your cancellation will take effect immediately and you will not be charged again.

What support do you offer?

In the first instance you should seek support from expert users in your own company. They have inside knowledge on how the system works for your situation.

Next you should contact the consultant who helped you implement Quality Systems Toolbox as your quality system.

If you still can't find the answer you are looking for, you can email support via this form or direct via support@qualitysystems.com

We have branches all over the country and the world – can we use QST?

Absolutely!

If you operate from multiple sites you’ll want to make sure that everyone is working from the same page. With paper/Excel based systems this can be a huge drain on resources.

With QST your documentation will be consistent across all sites with just one source of control. Bureaucracy is minimised, communication is easier and creating reports is simple and consistent, right across the organisation. Your internal costs will be reduced, meaning a healthier bottom line.

Can someone help me with implementation?

Yes.

The Quality Systems Network is a group of consultants who have collectively provided management systems and process improvement solutions to manufacturing and service organisations in Australia and SE Asia for many years. They can help you implement Quality Systems Toolbox at your company.

See here to learn more about the partners in the Quality Systems Network.

Will we need an IT department to support QST ?

No. You just need a computer with a browser and internet access. Quality Systems Toolbox does not require installation. We take care of updates and backups.

What do Auditors think of QST ?

They love it - more than 15 companies have been through successful audits with QST - most on their first attempt. Auditors have told us that our system has really helped audits go smoothly.

Do we need a professional Quality Manager in-house to use QST ?

No. But you could still definitely benefit from using the QST to manage your Quality System.

How does QST help you audit go smoothly?

No chasing missing documents at the last minute
visual reporting tools
deep search facility for finding anything in the system
your whole QMS available instantly

Our informal discussions with auditors have all been positive - they love the QST!

We already have a spreadsheet or database that runs our QMS

You may have already implemented a Quality Management System using commercial desktop software such as Excel or Access or even a web platform such as .Net or Sharepoint.

If you have outgrown these solutions or they are no longer meeting your needs, it is easy to transfer your existing work over to Quality Systems Toolbox.

With Quality Systems Toolbox you get an instantly available, secure, backed-up, fully supported and maintained system that has been proven in the marketplace since 2007.

How much does QST cost ?

Probably less than your monthly phone bill :) The cost of QST is dependant on your situation - i.e. whether you need help with implementation or not - how many users you will have. We prefer to talk one on one with clients to determine their exact needs before discussing cost. But it really will most likely be less than your monthly phone bill - which we think is a small price to pay for Quality !