5 Reasons to Use a Quality Management System Template

Implementing a quality management system is a big job, especially when you're doing it all in-house without the help of a consultant. It can often be difficult to know exactly where to start. A quality management system template is the perfect way to get you off and running.

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Improving Exisiting Documentation

As well as templates being a fantastic resource for putting your quality management system in motion, they can also be very helpful in improving the documentation of an existing system.

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1. Ease the Documentation Process

In the process of setting up a quality management system, developing documentation must be done early on. Getting your documents in order can be a long and laborious task and is one that most people don't generally look forward to. Using templates can help to make developing your documentation easier.

There are ready-made templates for every kind of document you would need for your quality management system. These templates lend a helping hand to anyone that is implementing a quality management system from scratch. Because you don't need to hire a consultant to make sure you've got everything you need, you can save more money.

Templates take the headaches out of figuring out where to start in developing your documentation. It can be overwhelming to look at everything you need to get done. These templates ensure that you have a jumping-off point to quickly and efficiently document your business.

Even after your quality management system is up and running, having templates customized to your business will make it much simpler to create new documents. If you need to add any processes or instructions to improve your quality management system, you already have the template to keep new documents consistent with existing ones.

2. Everything You Need Is Included

One of the most daunting parts of implementing a quality management system is the level of study it takes to learn everything that is required of your business. Everything has to meet certain requirements.

When you use templates for your quality management system, you will already have all of the requirements built-in for you. The creator of the template has already done all of the research and put together their template to include everything you need.

Using templates also alleviates the concern that you may have missed something in the process. There is so much to get done that it can be difficult to ensure everything is done exactly as it needs to be. Customizing a template to fit your business gives you a ready-made framework to work in.

3. Set up a Solid Foundation

Starting off with a template from the beginning of your quality management system is the perfect way to have solid ground under it. Instead of spending the time and energy to decide where you should start, you will have a good base to stand on. As a result, your quality management system will be steady from the start.

Even if you already have a quality management system in place, the foundation that templates provide isn't lost. If you are not satisfied with the way your system is currently performing or operating, you can easily use a template to make improvements and put that foundation in place.

4. Easy to Follow Guidance, Project Plan

Looking for the right template to fit your needs can be difficult when there are so many available. One of the things you should keep an eye on in making your choice is the level of instructions included in the template.

You should also look for a good, easy to follow project plan.

The best templates have plenty of guidance to customize and use the template within your business. There should be easy to understand instructions that tell you where and how to make changes to the template so that it perfectly suits your needs. There should also be instructions on how to use the template to collect data.

Having this level of guidance on hand is important when it comes to implementing and running your quality management system. It means that no matter who is using them will easily know how to do so. Everything will be done consistently, which is a crucial part of a successful quality management system.

5. Proven Approach to Quality Management Systems

Quality management systems have been used for years and years, and in that time, there have been plenty of mistakes made. The same holds true for creating and using templates to get everything ready to go.

Template makers have learned from the mistakes made in the past to form their product in the best way possible. Using templates will most often give you the very best approach to running your quality management system because they were made to avoid what not to do.

If you look for the right features in every template you consider, you will be able to narrow it down to what is best for your business. With these templates, you won't have to worry about starting off in the wrong direction. You already know the approach you are given works.

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What a Template Should Include

When choosing a template or template kit to use for your quality management system, there are some things you should look out for. There are certain features that will make a template more successful than others.

  1. Instructions: There are guidelines for how to customize the template and how to use it to collect data with your quality management system.
  2. Simplicity: The best templates are made to be easy to customize and put to use. Implementing a quality management system using a template kit should make your life easier.
  3. Efficiency: Templates should not include anything unnecessary that only causes problems in your business. The procedures should be straight forward to enhance your operation and productivity.
  4. Support: There should always be a way to contact someone if you have problems with the customization process. It's important to have specific guidance that is personalized to your situation in the case of any hang-ups.

Where Templates Can Go Wrong

Templates are a valuable and useful tool in any quality management system, but that doesn't make them problem-free. There are cases in which the use of a template could cause serious problems in your quality management system. Knowing about these problems may help you to avoid them.

Poorly Made Templates: You have to be extremely careful when choosing the templates you use for your quality management system. Reviewing each one thoroughly is essential. Otherwise, you could end up with no benefits and a lot of trouble.

Hidden Requirements: If a template or kit is being provided by a consultant or being given away completely free, you may want to look into it further. This could be a sign that later on down the line, you will be required to hire a consultant in order to put the templates to use.

Lack of Customization: Using a template is not as easy as simply putting it into your system and moving on. All templates require customization to fit your business as they should. Ignoring this crucial step may bring about poor results and future problems for your quality management system.

Take a look at our ISO 9001 Quality Manual Template

Further ISO 9001 QMS Documentation

 

Updated: 19th April 2024
Author: Richard Keen

Richard Keen

Richard Keen

Richard is our Compliance Director, responsible for content & product development.
But most importantly he is ISO's biggest fanboy and a true evangelist of the standards.
Learn more about Richard