How to write a supplier sample acceptance plan

Sample acceptance should answer a defined question: does this specific sample demonstrate the agreed design well enough to authorize the next step? Write the plan before opening the package so the review is not driven by first impressions.

Name the reference

Record product code, drawing revision, material, colour, packaging, sample quantity, and the supplier's sample ID. List critical, major, and cosmetic features in plain product-specific language. For each measurable item, state the method and permitted result. Name who performs the check and where photos, measurements, and test files will be stored.

State the possible decisions

Use accepted, rejected, or accepted with a documented condition only when your process permits it. A conditional acceptance must name the condition, owner, and deadline; it is not a quiet approval of a defect. A supplier's quality-system certification is context, not proof that this sample passed. Send a signed record to the supplier and attach it to the production specification.

Worked acceptance record

Illustrative item: bottle cap C-4, sample S-03. In the sample review tool, enter those IDs and drawing revision C-4. Mark dimensions “Not checked” until a measured diameter and limit are recorded; enter the measurement method and photo filename in notes. Mark function “Deviation” if the cap leaks under the agreed test. Common error: selecting “Conforms” for the whole sample because it looks right while a required leak test is still pending. Copy the record with the open actions.

Source context: ISO — ISO 9001 quality management systems supports this limited point: ISO 9001 specifies quality-management-system requirements, not a product-specific inspection result. The buyer procedure above is Suppliers Help editorial guidance. Source checked 2026-09-27.