Corrective actions

Corrective actions sit inside a nonconformity, in the corrective actions table on the NCR detail page. An NCR can have several. See Nonconformities for the NCR itself and Clause 8.7 for what the standard asks.

Fields

Field	What to enter
Root cause	The cause you found, not the symptom. One sentence is often enough if the investigation is attached.
Action	What will be done to remove the cause.
Owner	A person from People.
Due on	When the action must be complete. Required.
Completed on	When it was done.
Effectiveness check due on	When you will check that the action worked.
Effectiveness checked on	When you checked.
Effectiveness result	Effective, Not effective or Pending.
Notes	Evidence, references, anything else.

Due dates on the dashboard

An open action appears in the due list on its due date. Once it is completed, the effectiveness check takes its place, on the effectiveness check date. Both follow the usual Due soon, Overdue and Lapsed rules (see Dashboard).

Closing the NCR

The NCR can close only when at least one action is completed and its effectiveness result is Effective. If the result is Not effective, add a new action with a fresh root cause analysis, and move the NCR back to Action in progress.

How long should the effectiveness check wait

Long enough for the problem to have had a chance to recur. For a missed calibration, that might be the next calibration cycle of a sample of items; for a reporting error, the next set of reports. Set the date when you complete the action, so it is not forgotten.

Questions quality managers ask

Do I need a corrective action for every nonconformity? The standard asks you to evaluate whether action is needed to remove the cause. If you decide none is needed, record the reasoning on the NCR and cancel it with that reason, rather than leaving it open.

Who can own an action? Any person in People, whether or not they have a login. Only people with a login receive the weekly email.

Can I attach evidence? Yes. Upload files to the NCR; they go into the evidence folder for that NCR in the assessor pack.

What the assessor looks for

A root cause that explains the nonconformity, an action that addresses it, completion by the due date, and a dated effectiveness check with a conclusion. Overdue actions and lapsed effectiveness checks are the most common findings in this area.