Quality management system documents are translated in bulk during preparation for an audit. If a foreign auditor is coming, the documents are expected to be provided in a language the auditor can read.
Document layers
The manual carries the policy, the procedures the process, the instructions the work and the records the evidence. The layers refer to one another.
Reference structure
Each document is referred to by its own number and refers to other documents by number. The numbering is kept in translation.
Version and revision
The document footer contains the version number and the date. These fields are updated in translation and match the source.
Obsolete versions
Old versions have to be withdrawn from the site. The same discipline is applied to translation copies.
Process maps
Diagrams showing inputs, outputs and responsible roles are added to the document. The texts in the boxes are subject to a space constraint.
Responsibility matrix
Which role does what at which step is shown in a table. The role names must be the same as in the organisation chart.
Instructions
These are short texts read on site, and they are written in the imperative mood. Long sentences defeat the function of an instruction.
Forms
The field names of record forms are translated and match the text of the procedure. A difference in a field name leads to recording errors.
Internal audit plan
The audit subjects, dates and auditors are shown in the plan. The plan table is part of the translation.
Audit findings
Nonconformities are graded, and each becomes a separate record. The grading scale is defined and is not shifted.
Root cause analysis
The cause of the finding is investigated methodically and written down. The text of the analysis is carried over without being summarised.
Corrective action
The measure taken, the person responsible and the due date are put on record. This three-way match is the foundation of traceability.
Verification of effectiveness
Whether the measure has worked is checked afterwards. The verification record is a separate row.
Management review
The inputs to the meeting and the decisions taken are recorded in minutes. The decision items are numbered.
Objectives and indicators
Measurable objectives and achievement rates are tracked in a table. Units and periods are kept.
Supplier evaluation
The criteria by which suppliers are scored and the results are on record. The names of the criteria are translated consistently.
Certification audit
External audit reports and nonconformity letters are separate documents. The auditor's statements are carried over exactly.
Term discipline
The terms of the standard and the organisation's internal terms can get mixed up. The two sets are kept apart, and the term list is set up accordingly.
Time pressure before an audit
The date of a certification audit is known months in advance, but the translation request usually arrives in the last two weeks. At this stage hundreds of pages, from the manual to the instructions, are requested at the same time, and consistency breaks down most under these conditions. The documents are translated not layer by layer but by following the chain of references: first the manual and the procedures, then the instructions and the forms. Reversing the order leads to lower-level documents that refer to a higher-level document citing an equivalent that does not yet exist.