Independent retests

A retest records the finding, reviewer, tested date, result and evidence. Its result can be pass, fail or inconclusive. The reviewer must not be the owner of the corrective action under review. That boundary matters because the person who prepared the fix should not be able to certify that it worked by changing their own action status.

A passing retest is the only workflow path that closes the finding and verifies the corrective action. A failed or inconclusive retest leaves the finding open, so the owner can address the remaining issue and present new evidence. The decision remains attached to the finding as a dated record, making the sequence of attempts understandable.

• Reviewer assignment. Choose a team member who does not own the corrective action.
• Retest method. Agree how the reviewer will check the control again and which evidence must be retained.
• Failed result. Decide how the team routes another correction cycle when a retest fails or is inconclusive.

The Independent Reviewer and Compliance Manager should rehearse how this work is assigned and reviewed. Agree which organization and business unit own the first case, who may update it, and where its supporting evidence lives. Set a clear handoff when the person preparing the record is different from the person checking its outcome. Use the same rule for routine work and exceptions so an urgent item does not lose its owner or history.

For the pilot, give the Independent Reviewer the original finding, submitted action and prior test evidence. Agree what a passing retest must show. Record a failed attempt first so the team can see that the finding remains open, then use a later passing attempt to check closure.

Start with a submitted corrective action and a different reviewer. Record a retest with a failed result and confirm that the finding remains open. Then record a later retest with a passing result and evidence; the finding should close and the action should become verified. Attempt the same retest with the action owner as reviewer and confirm rejection. Repeat an accepted request with the same operation key to check that it does not create another closure effect.

In Retest outcomes, compare the reviewer, date, result and evidence for each attempt. Inspect the linked finding after the passing attempt, then check that the submitted corrective action became verified. A failed attempt remains part of the history for the next reviewer.

• Retest outcomes — Dated pass, fail and inconclusive decisions by reviewer.
• Corrective actions awaiting retest — Submitted work waiting for independent checking.

See the related process for the stage-by-stage handoff. Use the data model to inspect the record relationships and implementation to plan the first rehearsal.