Internal Audit Planning - We are not getting the best out of our Internal Audits

G

glenn0004

It’s become apparent that we are not getting the best out of our internal audits – our QMS manual makes reference to all relative QM procedures along with procedures that are critical to product realization… we have a head office were most central facilities operate from along with 33 local branch locations were some unique procedures are in operation along with some procedures that are duplicate across all locations. We currently visit all locations at least once per year some twice dependent upon their importance. This has been acceptable to our external auditor in the past.

Should we be biased to auditing our QMS manual as a common denominator or the all processes that make-up the company business???
 

AndyN

Moved On
It’s become apparent that we are not getting the best out of our internal audits – our QMS manual makes reference to all relative QM procedures along with procedures that are critical to product realization… we have a head office were most central facilities operate from along with 33 local branch locations were some unique procedures are in operation along with some procedures that are duplicate across all locations. We currently visit all locations at least once per year some twice dependent upon their importance. This has been acceptable to our external auditor in the past.

Should we be biased to auditing our QMS manual as a common denominator or the all processes that make-up the company business???

Glenn - this topic is covered in many related threads - one going on from Chris Gray 1980, here: http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?p=446174#post446174

In a nutshell, you should be auditing the business process(es) for implementation in accordance with the various documents of the QMS. You should verify whether the process(es) are delivering the results that management planned (including customers' requirements) and that action is being taken to correct and improve the process(es). Simples!

Sadly, whether your CB auditor mentions it or not, what you're doing isn't working (you're simply emulating their process and they have that expectation).

Take a look at the threads listed at the bottom of this page for similar topics.
 

Jen Kirley

Quality and Auditing Expert
Leader
Admin
Good day Glenn,

I have developed a global audit plan for my own organization and its various sites. I present the plan in the thread titled Global Audit Plan.

What I have not yet done is develop the database in which to combine and compare the metrics among all the sites. I expect I might do so by making an Excel spreadsheet with a tab of the same tracking logs for each site, then placing one or more charts for each of them onto a sheet that serves as a dashboard for the entire organizational audit results.

I wonder if that approach would help your organization? It is very ambitious, which is why I forecasted a year to implement.
 
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