As the ISO management system have developed, there has been a strong shift towards process auditing. There are many questions regarding process auditing and what it means. Quest Analytical provides a one-day process auditing workshop at your location to help you develop this program.

Process auditing is focused on auditing processes including interconnectivity between processes, inputs and outputs; and at the same time assuring that you are meeting all the requirements of the ISO standard.

Process auditing involves looking at an entire process including inputs and outputs and related requirements to determine if you are doing what you say you are doing. Quest Analytical has prepared several process auditing tools that are available to you on request. To receive examples of these tools, please contact us.

If you are auditing your quality system by ISO elements throughout the organization you are not set up currently for process auditing.

To start: set up a table with your processes or areas listed across the top. Along the left hand column list the ISO elements. Put a checkmark in applicable boxes. For example, document control is audited in all areas while purchasing may only be audited in the purchasing department (if that department is the only place purchasing is performed.)

You can set up a column for management that includes all the management issues and also elements such planning, customer feedback, internal audits and corrective/preventive actions. Include all those elements not primarily addressed within the departments.

Second, set up an audit schedule based on processes. Remember to audit according to the importance of the area and past findings. Production is always a critical component, but if purchasing is going well and has had few findings in the past it may be audited less frequently.

To receive example pages of both the spreadsheets described above, please contact us.

For more information on Internal Auditor Training: Objectives-Based Process Auditing at your facility please contact us.