ISO Audit Results and Nonconformities
There are some misconceptions about what ISO audit findings are. In this article, I attempt to explain clearly what audit findings are, what types of findings may be generated in an audit and the guidelines that is widely use to categorize audit findings. What are the results of audits? Depending on the audit style adopted …
Five Key Trends to Watch in 2018
The rules are changing and time is short. If you are a manufacturing company or a service provider, there is a good chance that you have heard about standards such as ISO 9001.
Is Management of Change Required in ISO 9001:2015?
When ISO 9001:2015 was released, aside from the major differences everyone was talking about (i.e. risk and documented information), it was not clear what other differences there were between the current and the new requirements.
QMS Planning: Maintaining the Integrity of your QMS When your Company has Merged or been Acquired
In today’s age, mergers and acquisitions are one key tool for survival. Let’s face it, with the stagnant economy and fierce competition, companies need to look for strategic partnerships or be bought in order to continue to exist or remain relevant.
What to do with Organizational Charts?
When trying to follow an international standard such as ISO 9001, questions may arise about the best practice for maintaining your company’s organizational charts.
The Best New Year Resolution For 2016 If Your Company Has Some Idle Manpower
Before 2015, we rode one of the largest waves in the history of the Oil and Gas Industry. Everything was booming- companies, salaries, bonuses, cities, services, etc…
The Dilemma of Procedure Reference on Process Maps and Quality Manuals

A reader asked, “I have the need to create a procedure as part of our ISO program and was wondering, should this procedure be listed on the process map either as a core process or as a supporting process? …
Document Control 101: How to comply with ISO and API without being trapped by your own words
Sometimes the interpretation of the ISO 9001 or API Q1 9th Edition/API Q2 requirements seem to force us to do things we won’t be able to do, or sustain for more than a few months— let alone days…
Red Tag, Green Tag: Color-Coded Tags
When it comes to red tags and green tags, which does your company use? A reader shared this material identification issue with us after a recent audit…
Numbering Schemes: Would a Document Register Help?
A reader recently asked us, “When generating a new form, procedure, or document, how do I know which number to use? How do I know which numbers are available? Let’s say I create a Receiving form…
Procedure vs. Work Practice
A reader recently asked, “What is the difference between a procedure and a work practice? For example, when a job is completed it is sent to Invoicing…
How to Write an ISO or API Compliant Quality Manual
How To Build A Perfect Quality Manual Quality Manual Series: Part 3 of 3 Ah, so you read my part 1, “The Abominable Quality Manual,” and part 2, “How Did We Get Here,” and now you are ready to learn how to build a perfect Quality Manual. Well, I have good news and bad news …
Web QMS – How Clients Use It for More than ISO

Okay, I’m interested. What else can Web QMS do for us? Mireaux’s Web QMS quality management systems software is mostly known for being an essential tool for meeting all requirements of the ISO 9001 standard…
How did the Quality Manual Come to be a Mirror of the Standard?

How did this all start? Quality Manual Series: Part 2 of 3 Way back when, we used to have a Quality Manual with the following elements: A picture of our process map (to satisfy the sequence and interaction of the processes) …
The Abominable Quality Manual

Is a Quality Manual that simply regurgitates the standard useful for continual improvement? Quality Manual Series: Part 1 of 3 Have you ever seen a Quality Manual that did not look exactly like the ISO standard? Not lately, probably …