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Manufacturing Process Audit Checklist Template

An Excel checklist for auditing one manufacturing process in depth, at the machine or cell, against its control plan, PFMEA and work instructions. Sixteen questions are pre-filled and grouped by process element. Mark each one C, NC, OFI or N/A, and the sheet counts results, flags the lines that need an action and works out the conformance percentage.

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Who this template is for

Internal auditors covering manufacturing processes in the audit programme
Quality engineers checking that a process runs the way its control plan and PFMEA say it does
Process owners preparing for a customer or certification audit

When to use it

For each manufacturing process on your internal audit schedule, on every shift it runs
After a new launch, a process change or an engineering change, to confirm the change is in place
After a quality escape or customer complaint traced to a process

Standards it supports

ISO 9001:2015 9.2.1 — Hold internal audits at planned intervals to check the QMS conforms to your own requirements and the standard, and is effectively maintained.
ISO 9001:2015 9.2.2 — Plan an audit programme that considers process importance, changes and past results; choose impartial auditors; report results and keep records.
ISO 9001:2015 8.5.1 — Production should run under controlled conditions, such as available instructions, suitable equipment, monitoring and competent people, which is what a process audit checks.
IATF 16949:2016 9.2.2.1 — The internal audit programme should be risk based, covering the QMS, manufacturing processes and products, and adjusted for performance and changes.
IATF 16949:2016 9.2.2.3 — Audit all manufacturing processes over each three-year period, on every shift, using any customer-specific approach, including whether the PFMEA, control plan and related documents are implemented.
ISO 19011:2018 6.4.8 — Guidance on generating findings by comparing audit evidence against the criteria; findings show conformity or nonconformity and can include improvement opportunities.

How to use this template

Pick the process and documents — choose one process, part and shift, and bring the current control plan, PFMEA and work instruction revisions.
Tailor the questions — keep the pre-filled questions that apply and add the key characteristics and special requirements for that part.
Audit at the process — watch the work, talk to the operator and check records at the machine. Write down the evidence reviewed for every line.
Mark each result — C (conforms), NC (nonconformity), OFI (opportunity for improvement) or N/A. The sheet flags NC and OFI lines as needing an action.
Report and follow up — review the summary with the process owner, raise each NC in your corrective action log, and agree owners for OFIs.

Tip: Start at the machine, not in the office. Pick a part in process and trace it backward to its material and forward to its inspection record; most gaps show up along that trail.

What's inside the template

Header

Process, line or cell, part and revision, shift, date, auditor, process owner and document revisions used

Questions

16 pre-filled questions grouped as inputs, method, people, resources, measures and outputs, plus blank rows

Evidence and result

Requirement reference, evidence reviewed and the result: C, NC, OFI or N/A

Action needed

Calculated Yes for NC and OFI lines, with a finding number and owner

Summary

Counts of each result, conformance % and the number of actions to raise

Example: a completed template

Example Process audit at Example Precision Co., a fictional machine shop, of CNC turning cell 4 on day shift. The part, documents and results are invented for illustration.

Audit details

Process / cell	CNC turning, cell 4, day shift
Part / revision	SHF-118 rev B
Documents used	Control plan CP-118 rev C, PFMEA PF-118 rev B, WI-118 rev D
Auditor	Internal auditor from the assembly area (independent of the cell)

Checklist (12 questions)

#	Element	Question	Evidence reviewed	Result
1	Inputs	Material matches the router (grade, heat lot)?	Heat number on the tag matches the cert	C
2	Inputs	Previous operation complete and signed off?	Traveler signed for op 10	C
3	Method	Work instruction at the cell is current?	WI-118 rev D at the cell; master list shows rev D	C
4	Method	Setup sheet values match the machine?	Offsets and feeds match setup sheet	C
5	Method	Operator follows the WI sequence?	Observed one full cycle	C
6	Measures	Control plan checks done at the stated frequency?	Plan says OD every 10 parts; log shows 1 in 25 for two hours	NC
7	Measures	Gauges calibrated and the type the plan specifies?	Micrometer M-112 in calibration	C
8	Measures	SPC chart kept and out-of-control points acted on?	No SPC characteristic on this part	N/A
9	People	Operator trained on this WI?	Skills matrix shows trained	C
10	Resources	Preventive maintenance current for the machine?	Maintenance log: last PM within interval	C
11	Outputs	Good, suspect and scrap parts separated?	Labeled containers in use	C
12	Outputs	PFMEA reaction plan matches the one in use?	WI reaction plan more detailed than the PFMEA	OFI

Summary

C / NC / OFI / N/A	9 / 1 / 1 / 1
Conformance	90.0%
Actions to raise	2 (one corrective action, one improvement)

The math in this Example

Questions answered: 9 C + 1 NC + 1 OFI + 1 N/A = 12
Questions assessed for conformance: 9 C + 1 NC = 10 (OFI and N/A are left out)
Conformance: 9 ÷ 10 × 100 = 90.0%
Actions to raise: 1 NC + 1 OFI = 2

How to fill in each field

Field	What to enter	Example
Process / line / shift	One process, on one shift. Audit other shifts separately; they often run differently.	CNC turning, cell 4, day shift
Documents used	The revisions of the control plan, PFMEA and work instruction you audited against, so the result can be traced.	CP-118 rev C, PF-118 rev B, WI-118 rev D
Auditor	Someone who does not work in the process, so the audit is impartial.	Internal auditor from assembly
Process element	Inputs, method, people, resources, measures or outputs. Grouping questions this way makes sure every side of the process is covered.	Measures
Requirement / reference	The document and section the question tests, such as a control plan line or WI step.	CP-118 line 3
Evidence reviewed	What you saw or sampled: record numbers, times, part counts. Required for every result, including C.	Log shows 1 in 25 for two hours
Result	C, NC, OFI or N/A, typed exactly. NC needs a requirement that was not met; OFI is a suggestion where the requirement is met.	NC
Action needed	Calculated: Yes for NC and OFI, No for C and N/A. Do not type over it.	Yes
Conformance %	Calculated: C ÷ (C + NC) × 100. OFI and N/A lines are left out. Use it to compare audits of the same process over time, not to grade operators.	90.0%

Common mistakes

Auditing from the office. Do the audit at the process, while it runs, with the operator. Records alone do not show how the work is really done.
Auditing against old documents. Check the revisions on the master document list before you start, and record which ones you used.
Treating it as a layered process audit. A layered audit is a short, frequent check by several management levels. A process audit goes deep into one process; use both, for different purposes.
Recording C with no evidence. Write what you checked for every line. A C with no evidence cannot be defended at a certification audit.
Calling an opinion a nonconformity. An NC needs a requirement that was not met. If the requirement is met but could be better, record an OFI.
Covering only day shift. Schedule audits on every shift the process runs, including weekends if it runs then.
No link to corrective action. Raise each NC in the corrective action log with an owner and date, and check it is closed before the next audit of that process.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a process audit and a layered process audit?

A process audit is an in-depth review of one process by a trained, independent auditor, usually on a schedule of months. A layered process audit is a short checklist done often, by people at several management levels, to confirm key controls every day or week.

What is a turtle diagram and do I need one?

A turtle diagram maps a process’s inputs, outputs, resources, people, methods and measures. You do not need one to use this checklist, but the questions follow the same elements, so a turtle diagram is a useful way to prepare.

How is a process audit different from a product audit?

A process audit checks how the work is done against the control plan and instructions. A product audit checks finished or in-process parts against their specifications. Both can be done in the same visit.

How is conformance % calculated?

Conforming results divided by conforming plus nonconforming results, times 100. OFI and N/A lines are left out because they are not a pass or fail. In the Example, 9 ÷ 10 × 100 = 90.0%.

Who can perform a process audit?

Anyone trained as an auditor who does not work in the process being audited. Knowing the manufacturing method helps, so many plants pair an auditor with an engineer from another area.

Manufacturing Process Audit Checklist Template

Who this template is for

When to use it

Standards it supports

How to use this template

What's inside the template

Example: a completed template

Audit details

Checklist (12 questions)

Summary

The math in this Example

How to fill in each field

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

See also

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