Define Every Requirement
Control characteristics, notes, specifications, materials, processes, tests, sampling, methods, tolerances, and acceptance criteria.
ISO 9001 & AS9100 Quality Software
Inspection Control Plan Software for ISO 9001 and AS9100 Manufacturers
Our inspection control plan software defines what must be verified, where and when inspection occurs, how each characteristic is evaluated, what constitutes acceptance, and what action follows a failure. Manufacturers can control requirements by part, revision, supplier, and operation while preserving the completed results and permanent inspection history.
Controlled Product Verification
Turn Product Requirements into Repeatable Inspection Activities
A control plan translates drawings, specifications, customer requirements, process controls, and risk-based decisions into instructions that inspectors can execute consistently. Instead of relying on individual knowledge or disconnected spreadsheets, the software connects each requirement with its inspection stage, method, device, sample, acceptance criteria, result, and reaction plan.
The application supports your inspection-planning process; it does not independently guarantee conformity with ISO 9001, AS9100, customer, contractual, or regulatory requirements. Your organization remains responsible for identifying applicable requirements, approving the plan, using suitable methods and equipment, and evaluating the resulting evidence.
Execute Consistently
Deliver the correct plan by part, revision, supplier, operation, and inspection type so every inspector follows the approved requirements.
Preserve Objective Evidence
Record actual results, inspector, device, date, lot or serial traceability, attachments, acceptance, failures, and reaction activity.
End-to-End Inspection Planning
Control Plan Workflow: From Product Definition Through Verified Results
Maintain a controlled relationship among the applicable product configuration, planned verification, completed inspection, nonconforming results, and permanent history.
| Stage | Controlled Activities | Records Retained |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Establish Scope | Select receiving, in-process, final, source, first article, or other verification and identify the applicable part and revision. | Plan type, part, revision, customer, supplier, process, order, and reason |
| 2. Identify Requirements | Account for drawing characteristics, notes, specifications, materials, special processes, tests, and customer requirements. | Requirement source, characteristic number, drawing zone, operation, and classification |
| 3. Define Verification | Specify inspection method, measuring device, sampling level, frequency, responsibility, tolerance, and acceptance criteria. | Method, equipment type, sample, frequency, limits, and instructions |
| 4. Review and Release | Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing review completeness and release the applicable revision for use. | Review comments, approval, effective date, status, and revision history |
| 5. Perform Inspection | Copy the approved plan into the inspection record and enter actual measurements, observations, evidence, and traceability. | Inspector, date, lot, serial number, device, result, attachments, and status |
| 6. Apply Reaction Plan | Stop, segregate, notify, reinspect, or create an NCMR according to the approved response for failed requirements. | Failure, affected quantity, hold, notification, NCMR, disposition, and reinspection |
| 7. Accept and Close | Confirm completion, reconcile quantities, resolve open failures, determine lot status, and approve the inspection. | Accepted and rejected quantities, result, approval, closure, and linked records |
| 8. Improve and Revise | Use results, defects, supplier history, changes, and corrective actions to revise future control plans when warranted. | Superseded revision, change reason, new approval, trends, and permanent history |
Configuration Control
Issue the Correct Plan for the Correct Part and Revision
Define control plans at the level needed by your operation. The released record can be associated with a part number, drawing revision, customer, supplier, manufacturing route, and specific operation so inspectors do not have to determine which requirements apply.
- Part number, description, drawing, and revision
- Customer, supplier, facility, and manufacturing source
- Receiving, in-process, final, source, or FAI inspection
- Router, operation, work center, or process step
- Effective date, owner, status, revision, and approval
- Current, draft, superseded, and historical plans
Characteristic Accountability
Define What Is Inspected and How Acceptance Is Determined
Each control-plan line can convert one product or process requirement into a clear, executable verification activity.
Requirement
Characteristic number, drawing sheet and zone, note, specification, operation, description, nominal value, upper and lower limits, unit of measure, and classification.
Verification Method
Visual, dimensional, functional, material, certificate, document, process, or other verification with instructions and the required device or equipment type.
Acceptance and Reaction
Sample size, frequency, acceptance criteria, pass/fail logic, responsible person, and the required response when the result is unacceptable.
First Article Inspection
Use the Control Plan to Capture FAI Requirements and Verification
An inspection control plan can be used for a First Article Inspection to identify and capture all applicable product requirements and the verification performed for each one. This creates a structured bridge from the drawing and specification baseline to characteristic accountability, actual results, calibrated equipment, supporting evidence, and acceptance status.
Plan the Complete FAI Verification
- Identify the part, drawing, revision, and FAI configuration
- Capture ballooned or numbered drawing characteristics
- Include drawing notes, material, and special-process requirements
- Define dimensional and functional verification methods
- Identify the calibrated device used for each applicable result
- Attach certificates, test reports, drawings, and other evidence
Preserve Results and Resolve Exceptions
- Compare each requirement with its actual result
- Show complete, accepted, failed, or not-applicable status
- Link failed characteristics to an NCMR
- Record correction, disposition, and reinspection results
- Support Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing review
- Transfer or link the verified data to the controlled FAI record
The Control Plan Supports the FAI; It Does Not Replace the FAI Record
The control plan provides the detailed requirements and verification evidence. The FAI record separately controls why the FAI was performed, whether its scope is full or partial, the represented product and process configuration, completeness review, approvals, customer submission or response, and permanent FAI history. Used together, the two records avoid duplicate entry without losing their distinct purposes.
Sampling and Frequency
Apply the Approved Level of Verification
Configure the inspection method appropriate to the requirement, risk, customer direction, and documented procedure. The software records the selected plan; your organization determines whether that plan is valid for the product and contract.
- 100-percent inspection
- Fixed sample quantity or percentage
- AQL-based sampling configured to your approved procedure
- First-piece, last-piece, or defined-frequency checks
- Skip-lot or reduced inspection under controlled criteria
- Dock-to-stock status under an approved supplier-control process
Inspection Execution
Copy the Released Control Plan into the Inspection Record
When an inspection is created, the applicable plan can populate the requirements that the inspector must complete. The inspection retains its own copy so later plan revisions do not alter historical results.
Receiving Inspection
Select requirements by part, revision, supplier, purchase order, lot, and receiving status. Verify product, documentation, certificates, and supplier controls.
In-Process Inspection
Present requirements by work order, operation, router step, work center, part, and revision. Capture measurements while product remains in production.
Final Inspection
Verify completed product, required records, quantity, configuration, marking, packaging, functional evidence, and release criteria before shipment.
- Actual measurement or observation for every required line
- Inspector, date, time, method, and measuring-device identification
- Lot, batch, heat, serial number, work order, and quantity traceability
- Attachments, photographs, certificates, and test evidence
- Automatic incomplete, pass, or fail status from configured rules
- Accepted, rejected, reworked, scrapped, and remaining quantity reconciliation
Failed Verification
Connect the Reaction Plan with NCMR Control
A failed inspection characteristic should make the affected product and required response immediately visible. The software can create or link an NCMR so the discrepancy, lot or serial numbers, quantity, hold location, disposition, correction, and reinspection remain connected.
- Expected requirement and actual discrepancy
- Affected part, revision, quantity, lot, or serial number
- Hold, segregation, notification, and responsible person
- MRB disposition and authorization
- Rework or repair instructions and reinspection
- Escalation to corrective action when criteria are met
Revision and Change Control
Preserve the Plan Used for Every Historical Inspection
Release a new control-plan revision when requirements, drawings, suppliers, processes, methods, equipment, sampling, or reaction plans change. Historical inspection records continue to show the exact requirements in effect when the work was performed.
Controlled Revision
Record revision, change reason, owner, effective date, reviewer, approver, and current or superseded status.
Change Impact
Evaluate affected parts, suppliers, operations, open orders, work in process, inspection records, documents, training, and FAI scope.
Permanent History
Retain prior plans, completed inspections, results, failures, NCMRs, approvals, attachments, and the relationship to replacement revisions.
Connected Quality Records
Integrate Control Plans with the Rest of Your Quality System
Inspection and NCMR
Populate receiving, in-process, final, and FAI inspections and connect failures with product control, disposition, and reinspection.
First Article Inspection
Use control-plan requirements and results as characteristic accountability and verification evidence within the controlled FAI workflow.
Calibration Management
Select the actual measuring device, confirm calibration status, and preserve device traceability for dimensional results.
Document Control
Reference current drawings, specifications, inspection procedures, sampling instructions, and controlled work instructions.
Corrective Action
Escalate qualifying failures and trends into containment, cause analysis, assigned actions, verification, and effectiveness review.
Standards Resources
Review the official ISO 9001:2015 standard listing and the IAQG 9100 overview and support materials.
Open-Source and Customizable
Microsoft Access Front End with Access or SQL Server Data
The application is delivered with an open-source Microsoft Access front end, including forms, reports, queries, tables, and VBA source code. Adapt control-plan fields, requirement structures, sampling logic, approvals, inspection screens, reports, and integrations to your operation.
- Modify forms, reports, queries, tables, and VBA logic
- Add customer fields, characteristic types, statuses, workflows, and approval rules
- Integrate with inspection, ERP, Access applications, and other business systems
- Retain ownership and control of your application and data
| Deployment | Best Fit |
|---|---|
| Access front end + Access back end | Smaller workgroups seeking a fast, economical deployment on a stable local network. |
| Access front end + SQL Server back end | Growing multi-user environments needing stronger concurrency, security controls, scalability, and data-management options. |
Optional QA Suite Add-On
Inspection Control Plan Software Pricing
Purchase Control Plans independently or add the application to the QA Suite at the discounted same-purchase price.
Stand-Alone
$599
One-time software license
- Inspection Control Plans application
- Plan revisions, requirements, methods, sampling, results, and history
- Unlimited users
- Open-source Access front end with Access or SQL Server back end
- No annual software-license fee
If purchased separately and integrated with another Database Providers module later, a $250 integration fee applies per module.
Ask About Stand-AloneAdd to the QA Suite
$399
Discounted same-purchase add-on
- Control Plans connected to Inspection and NCMR
- Links to FAI, Calibration, Documents, and Corrective Action
- Shared part, inspection, and quality records
- Unlimited users
- No annual software-license fee
Important QA Suite Pricing Detail
Inspection Control Plans is an optional add-on and is not one of the five applications included in the $2,499 core QA Suite. The $399 add-on price applies when Control Plans is purchased with the QA Suite.
Implementation, customization, data conversion, training, report or form configuration, SQL Server setup, and ongoing support are quoted separately when requested.
Frequently Asked Questions
Inspection Control Plan Software FAQ
What is inspection control plan software?
Inspection control plan software manages the product requirements, characteristics, inspection stages, methods, measuring equipment, sampling, acceptance criteria, reaction plans, revisions, approvals, completed results, and permanent inspection history used to verify manufactured product.
Can a control plan be used for First Article Inspection?
Yes. A control plan can capture all applicable drawing, specification, material, process, dimensional, and functional requirements and the verification result for each one. The controlled FAI record separately manages the FAI reason, full or partial scope, represented configuration, completion review, approvals, submission, customer response, and permanent FAI history.
Does the software guarantee ISO 9001 or AS9100 compliance?
No. The software can support documented inspection and product-verification processes, but your organization remains responsible for obtaining applicable standards and customer requirements, designing valid controls, using suitable equipment and methods, evaluating results, and operating an effective quality management system.
Can plans be controlled by part revision and operation?
Yes. Plans can be associated with part, drawing revision, supplier, customer, inspection type, router, and operation so the correct requirements are presented for the applicable configuration and process stage.
Can the plan require a specific calibrated measuring device?
The plan can define the equipment type or method required, and the completed inspection can identify the specific device used. Integration with Calibration Management allows its status and history to remain traceable to the result.
Can failed inspections create NCMR records?
Yes. A failed characteristic can create or link to an NCMR containing the discrepancy, affected product and quantity, hold information, disposition, correction, and reinspection results.
Do plan revisions change completed historical inspections?
No. The approved plan is copied into the inspection record so later plan changes do not overwrite the requirements or results used for an earlier inspection.
Can the software be customized?
Yes. The open-source Microsoft Access application can be modified for your fields, forms, characteristic structures, sampling methods, workflows, reports, approvals, and integrations.
Is Inspection Control Plans included in the QA Suite?
Control Plans is available as a discounted optional add-on but is not included among the five core QA Suite applications.
Standardize Product Verification
See How Control Plans Can Fit Your Inspection Process
Discuss your receiving, in-process, final, and FAI requirements; sampling methods; inspection records; existing data; and Access or SQL Server deployment.