Supplier quality

A supplier record carries an identifying code, category, contact details, approval status and active flag. An incoming inspection records its item, source reference and result. When it fails, the resulting nonconformance report identifies the affected material; Supplier Quality Engineer records the supplier on that report. Cited defects and containment actions explain the immediate quality response. A major or critical report can route to CAPA for investigation.

Supplier audits use the same audit header, checklists and findings as other audit types. The audit type identifies supplier work. Findings have severity, response owner, due date and status. This lets Supplier Quality Engineer review an issue as an audit response instead of burying it inside a period score. The audit can retain the governing quality standard and observed clause evidence.

A supplier quality score record covers a defined period and links to a supplier. It can carry receipts inspected, reject and return rates, NCR counts, major NCR counts, first pass yield, score and grade. Supplier Quality Engineer can review the inputs; Quality Manager reviews the score and grade. The report compares periods with their start and end dates so a later result does not silently replace an earlier one.

• Supplier identity. Use one supplier record across incoming issues and period reviews.
• Issue trail. Connect failed inspection, nonconformance and containment to the affected source.
• Period score. Review the date range and underlying quality measures before certification.

Decide which incoming references identify the supplier, how approval status is maintained and who can change it. Define the period used for scorecards and review how measures are entered. Agree when a supplier issue requires an audit and who owns the finding response. Quality Manager and Supplier Quality Engineer should rehearse the handoff on an actual supplier before publishing a grade.

Use a component supplier with an approved supplier record. Create an incoming inspection for a lot, cite a major defect and set the inspection to Fail. Confirm that the linked nonconformance identifies the affected item, then record the supplier on that report. Record containment and assign a supplier response owner. Create a supplier audit finding if the investigation calls for one. At period close, review receipts inspected, reject rate, major NCR count, score and grade with the Quality Manager.

• Supplier Quality Scorecard (current period) — Period score, grade and incoming quality measures by supplier.
• Open Audit Findings — Supplier findings awaiting response or verification.
• Open NC rs — Active incoming issues with severity and current state.

See inspection to nonconformance and audit finding response.