How Quality Inspector Supports SQF Audit Readiness

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How Quality Inspector Supports SQF Audit Readiness

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Quality Inspector for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central can help organizations collect, retain, and review quality records that may be used as supporting evidence during SQF audits.

Quality Inspector does not certify an organization as SQF compliant. SQF compliance depends on the organization’s complete food safety system, procedures, controls, training, records, and implementation. Quality Inspector and standard Business Central functionality can, however, support many of the operational records commonly needed during an SQF audit.

SQF, or Safe Quality Food, is a food safety and quality certification program used by organizations across the food supply chain. It provides a structured framework for managing food safety risks, documenting controls, maintaining traceability, and demonstrating that defined procedures are consistently followed. SQF certification is achieved through an independent audit of the organization’s overall food safety system, including its processes, records, training, corrective actions, and ongoing compliance with the applicable SQF Code.

SQF and Audit Support

SQF / Audit Need How Quality Inspector and Business Central Can Help Related Documentation
Lot identification and traceability Quality Inspector allows fast navigation of finding related inspection documents for a given lot by navigating to the Quality Inspection Test list page, and simply filtering for the lot.

Standard Business Central item tracking records lot, serial, and package numbers on inventory transactions. The Item Tracing page can trace an item forward from its origin to its use, or backward from its use to its origin. Find Entries can locate records associated with a specific lot or serial number.

In addition lot transactions can also be identified by navigating to the Item Ledger Entries page in Business Central to identify which transactions have occurred for a given lot.

 Track items with serial, lot, and package numbers

Trace item-tracked items

Use Quality Inspection Tests
Lot information and product holds Business Central provides Lot No. Information Cards for recording additional information about a lot. A lot information record can also be marked Blocked to exclude that lot from transactions. Quality Inspector can use inspection grades to automatically restrict or allow transactions for inspected lots.

Quality Inspector can also automatically block and unblock the lot with the lot information using Business Central workflows.

For organizations that use separate Business Central locations or bins to physically hold inventory under quarantine or a hold status pending release, you can also automate inventory movements (with item reclass, warehouse reclass, or movement documents) to and from the hold/quarantine areas.

 Track items with serial, lot, and package numbers

Automate Block and Unblock Lot Transactions in Quality Inspector
Finding quality records for a lot Quality Inspection Tests store the Source Lot No., as well as source item, serial number, package number, document number, and other source information. When investigating a lot, open Quality Inspection Tests and filter the Lot No. field to review inspections associated with that lot. Use Quality Inspection Tests
Incoming inspection records Quality Inspector can automatically create inspections from purchase and warehouse receiving processes. The resulting inspection can include the received item, quantity, lot or serial number, vendor-related source information, measurements, results, and grade. Create Quality Inspections for Receipts

Receiving Automation
Production inspection records Quality Inspector can automatically create inspections from production activity and associate them with production documents, items, quantities, and item tracking information. Quality Inspection Test Generation Rules
Inspection checklists and recorded measurements Quality Inspection Templates define the questions, measurements, acceptable values, pass conditions, and other information that must be recorded. Completed Quality Inspection Tests retain the actual results. Use Quality Inspection Tests

Quality Inspector documentation
Identification of the person completing or changing a record Quality Inspection Tests and test lines retain created and modified date/time and user information. Finished inspections are no longer editable through the normal Quality Inspector test page. In addition the Business Central change log and Business Central system audit fields can also be used to centralize auditing in Business Central. Use Quality Inspection Tests

Quality Inspection Test Values

Audit Changes with the Change Log
Sign-off and approval Quality Inspector supports signature fields. Business Central workflows can also be used to require one or more approvals before an inspection is finished. Quality Inspector documentation – Signatures and Approvals
Non-conformances and corrective-action records Quality Inspector includes Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs). NCR templates can be configured to collect information such as the non-conformance, investigation, cause, corrective actions, verification, and other organization-specific information. NCRs can also be generated from quality inspection results. Quality Inspector documentation – NCRs
Control of nonconforming product Quality Inspector grades and workflows can block lot transactions, move inventory, create returns, make inventory adjustments, and perform other configured dispositions. This can be used to prevent material from being used or shipped until defined quality requirements are satisfied. Automate Block and Unblock Lot Transactions in Quality Inspector
Measurement equipment and calibration records Quality Inspector Tools can identify the equipment used for an inspection and record tool details, calibration date, calibration interval, next calibration date, calibration certificate number, and calibration details. Quality Inspector can also prevent use of a tool when its calibration has expired.

The Insight Works Maintenance Manager (CMMS) can also be used for more complex maintenance planning for tools.

 Use Tools in Quality Inspector

Insight Works Maintenance Manager
Supporting documents and retained evidence Documents and images can be attached to Quality Inspection Tests. Quality Inspector can also automatically create and attach a PDF Quality Inspection Report or Certificate of Analysis when an inspection is finished.

Images can be easily attached using the built-in “Take a Picture” functionality.

DocXtender can also be used to quickly drag and drop supporting evidence.

 Create PDF Attachments Automatically When a Test Finishes

Take and Attach a Picture to a Quality Inspection Test
Sampling programs Quality Inspector supports fixed quantities, percentage-based sampling, AQL sampling, multiple samples, and skip-lot inspection rules. Skip-lot decisions are recorded in Skip Lot Entries. Skip Lot Inspections in Quality Inspector

Implement Skip Lot with Receiving
Quality trends and recurring failures Quality Inspector provides Test Values, result matrices, charts, and failure analysis tools that can be used to review historical results and investigate recurring failures. Quality Inspection Test Values

Quality Inspector documentation – Analysis and Reporting
Employee training and competency Standard Business Central employee records include Employee Qualifications, where qualifications can be recorded together with information such as dates, institution/company, course grade, and expiration date. Quality Inspector does not directly track employee training or competency that extends this built-in capability, nor does it block who can record tests or use tools based on recorded qualifications. Business Central Employee Qualification table
SQF audit evidence package/report Quality Inspector retains individual inspections, NCRs, attachments, approvals, calibration information, and other quality records, but it does not package these collected details into a single SQF evidence binder. Relevant records must be retrieved using the applicable Quality Inspector and Business Central pages and reports.
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