What Should You Look For When Selecting ISO 9001 Templates For Your QMS?
ISO 9001 templates are the fastest, easiest and most cost-efficient way to begin your ISO 9001:2008 implementation. But let’s be perfectly clear, buying a set of templates and inserting your company name in them, “WILL NOT” make your company ready for certification. ISO 9001:2008 is more than a set of required procedures; it is a whole business process management system which is unique to each organization. The finest ISO 9001 templates can provide substantial advantages that will save time and money, but organizational participation and commitment to the success of the quality management system is the driving force which separates the successful implementation and maintenance of a quality management system from the unsuccessful.
There are many templates out there that promise certification, which may or may not happen depending on how the templates are implemented and the degree that an organization customizes them to fit their unique business needs. Make sure that the templates you select provides, at a minimum, the following:
- A Quality Manual
- All required procedures
- Flow charts for generic processes
- Training materials to help customize the templates
- Templates that are designed to highlight requirements that the company can customize.
- Forms- Internal Audit , Management Review , Competency, Training and Awareness , Corrective Action, Risk Assessment for Preventive Actions
- Consulting services to help customize the templates to meet individual needs (Should be included in the cost).
One last thing, make sure that the templates you are buying were designed by a professional with hands on experience implementing and auditing to ISO 9001:2008 quality systems.
