SOP Numbering - About to change over from QS9000 to ISO 9001

[sjrutland]

Hello all,

I know this will be a very lame question but I need some advice. I am about to change over from QS9000 to ISO9001:2000. I felt this would be a great time to redo my SOP's . I just want to know do I have to number them in sequence or can I number them to match the reference of the iso strandards. Example for Management review the iso reference is 5.6 can I name that
SOP 5.6 and so on? I am sorry if this is very lame. I just could not find any place that said you could or could not do this. I am kinda new to the iso world and do not want to upset my auditor when they come in May. Any advise is appreaciated.

Stan

 

[Al Rosen]

Hello all,

I know this will be a very lame question but I need some advice. I am about to change over from QS9000 to ISO9001:2000. I felt this would be a great time to redo my SOP's . I just want to know do I have to number them in sequence or can I number them to match the reference of the iso strandards. Example for Management review the iso reference is 5.6 can I name that
SOP 5.6 and so on? I am sorry if this is very lame. I just could not find any place that said you could or could not do this. I am kinda new to the iso world and do not want to upset my auditor when they come in May. Any advise is appreaciated.

Stan

There is no requirement to number them anything, so you can do whatever is convenient for you.

 

[SteelMaiden]

Al is correct. (of course Al is correct.) Whatever works best for you.

 

[Ingeniero1]

When I started our effort to attain ISO 9001:2000 certification, I numbered the first six procedures to be those required. As has correctly been stated, this is not needed, but it made it easy to remember:
(ASQP is our common prefix for procedures)
ASQP-001 = Control of Documents
ASQP-002 = Control of Records
ASQP-003 = Internal Audits
ASQP-004 = Control of Non-Conforming Product
ASQP-005 = Corrective Action
ASQP-006 = Preventive Action
Some people combine the last two; I opted not to do so.

We now have 24 procedures, through -024; they all serve a good purpose and have been useful during the audits as well.

Remember to use the KISS principle.

Alex

 

[SRT-4]

People usually "align" their numbers with the ones of the norm but any numbering system is fine. However, no matter what numbering system you use, ISO 9001:2000 will eventually get revised in the future and the paragraphs numbering system of the norm will no longer match the so called "alignment".

What is helpfull sometimes for the sake of clarity is to make a simple cross-reference list between ISO numbers and your own procedures. You can insert this list somewhere in your Quality Manual.

 

[Kevin H]

As the others have stated, there is no required numbering system. I think auditors like it when you number your system to correspond to ISO (or whatever other quality standard you intend to be registered to).

However, the bottom line is your system should be set up and numbered so it is most efficient & works best for you. If you do not match ISO, you will need to be able to show your auditor where the ISO elements are within your system. A spreadsheet cross referencing ISO versus your individual numbering system is usually a good idea.

As far as numbering, we looked at process areas and set up 6 main areas, and set up our numbering system around that: MA 01.x - management related issues such as management commitment, organizational structure, management review, human resources, etc. AI 01.x - measurement, analysis and improvement issues such as corrective actions, preventive actions, continual improvement, measurement, etc. CS 01.x - customer technical service, includes complaints, customer service investigations, etc. MM 01.x - covering materials management, including purchasing, vendor approval, etc. PR 01.x - production - process flows, control plans, lab scope, nonconforming materials, maintenance, planning for process changes, etc. QS 01.x - quality system - control of documents, planning for new processes/products, internal audits, etc. SA 01.x, originally sales, renamed as business when upgrading to ISO/TS, customer communication, customer inquiries, contracts & agreements, customer satisfaction, competitor analysis, etc.

We set up a spread sheet to correlate ISO 9001:2000 & QS-9000 (later ISO/TS 16949) requirements versus our processes.

 

[sjrutland]

Thank you all

Again my dearest thanks to all the replys. You have some really great suggestions that I can now go with and apply to my needs. Again a hugh
thank you to all of you here at the cove. You guys and gals are the best.

Stan

 

[Al Rosen]

Al is correct. (of course Al is correct.) Whatever works best for you.

Thanks, I wish my wife would recognize that.

 

[Caster]

Non value added

....... Example for Management review the iso reference is 5.6 can I name that SOP 5.6 and so on?.....

sjrutland

We are about to eliminate our numbers all together. We started out matched up with financial departments...310,320, etc. Then we moved to SOPs. We have four levels of documents....so now we have a mix of 4-310-009-02 and 3 SOP 050-01...whaaaa?

However, we only have one management review process, one dock audit form, one unique name for all documents.

So we have made a lot of non value added work for ourselves updating documents when numbers change - so we're gettin rid of the numbers each time we make a revision. We think it will take a couple of years.

No one knows or cares what Form 4-310-009-02 is but we all know what the receiving inspection form is.

Wish we had never started with numbers....KISS

Good luck - it was a really good question.

 

[Manoj Mathur]

Document Numbering

This is system what we follow;
I wish I could have attach my document which gives complete details of Numbering od Procedures, Work Instructions, Formats, Control Plans, FMEAs, Log books etc etc.
However, I am giving the illustration for few documents.


The numbering of all procedures shall be in alphanumeric sequence as described below:

A B CCC xx P
Where,

A : Identifies the Unit/Plant namely W – Wheel, F – Foil and C – Common for both

B : Identifies the System to which it is related namely Q – Quality and E – Environment


Document control C Q SYS 01 P
Control of Records C Q SYS 02 P
Internal Audit C Q SYS 03 P
Control of Non Conforming Product C Q SYS 04 P
Corrective & Preventive action C Q SYS 05 P
Management Review C QSYS 06 P
Analysis of Data C Q SYS 07 P
Continual improvement C Q SYS 08 P
Customer Property C Q SYS 09 P
Quality Planning C Q SYS 10 P
Quality Control -Incoming Inspection -W Q QCD 01 P & F Q QCD 01 P
Process Inspection W Q QCD 02 P & F Q QCD 02 P
Customer Complaint WQ QCD 03 P & F Q QCD 04 P
Purchasing Purchasing CQ PUR 01 P
Supplier Selection and Evaluation CQ PUR 02 P


Work Instructions

A B CCC xx W yy

Where A, B, CCC and xx denote the same as in procedure numbering

W : denotes Work Instruction

Yy : denotes the running Serial No. of the Work Instruction for that procedure (from 01 to 99)

Formats (Records – Registers, Reports, Log Books)

A B CCC xx F yy
Where A, B, CCC and xx denote the same as in procedure numbering

F : denotes Format

Yy : denotes the running Serial No. of the Format for that process (from 01 to 99).

Specifications

A B CCC xx S yy
Where A, B, CCC and xx denote the same as in procedure numbering

S : denotes Specification

Yy : denotes the running Serial No. of the Specification for that process (from 01 to 99. However, if the number of specifications exceed 99 it may be taken to 999)