Quality Manual


This first step in building a Quality Management System is the creation of a "Quality Manual". This is a separate and distinct step from developing quality procedures. The purpose is to state in a concise and brief format, the policies and objectives of the company required to achieve a desired level of quality for the organization or division.

More than likely the input for the Quality Manual will come from your customers. It is the customer that drives the Quality Process. There requirements, needs, and future desires are the basis for implementing an ISO 9000 quality system in the first place.

At a minimum, the Quality Manual is required to address each one of the paragraphs of the applicable ISO Series that the company plans to become registered against. ISO 9001:2000 is the focus of this manual. But, you may need to expand the scope to include EMS 14001, QS-9000, AS-9000, or other industry specific quality requirements.

Each area that is written should include, at a minimum, three parts: Scope, Policy and Responsibilities.

ISO 9000 does not require a specific format for the Quality Manual. A sample manual is provided in this guide for your use as a template to create your own Quality Manual. The Quality Manual Table of Contents is based on the ISO 9000 standard itself. This ensures that each required element is addressed and provides an excellent starting point for building your Quality System.

Next: Quality Procedures