Summary
In short
- A product nonconformance report is a record used in KnowQuality that records product that does not meet specification. It is built against ISO 9001 cl.8.7 and forms part of the HACCP and Food Safety programme.
- Raised as soon as the problem is found, at any stage. Completed by whoever found it.
- The template holds 48 fields across 5 sections.
- Scoring is severity band, where high is bad.
- ISO 9001 is quality management systems. The international standard for consistently meeting customer and regulatory requirements. Certifiable.
- It connects to the rest of the library: feeds RCA, CAPA, Hold and Release.
What it is
What it is
What is a product nonconformance report?
A product nonconformance report is a record used in KnowQuality that records product that does not meet specification. It is built against ISO 9001 cl.8.7 and forms part of the HACCP and Food Safety programme.
When is a product nonconformance report completed?
A product nonconformance report is completed at the moment the event happens, rather than reconstructed afterwards. Raised as soon as the problem is found, at any stage.
When to use it
When to use it, and when not to
This record is one step in a larger programme. Using it for work that belongs to a neighbouring template produces records that are hard to report on later.
Use it for
- The event or activity this record covers has occurred, or is about to
- A new record is needed; each one gets its own ID in the form CASE-2026-000
- You are running the HACCP and Food Safety programme and this is one of its steps
- A linked record needs this one to exist: feeds rca, capa, hold and release
Not for
- Process Deviation Report, which records a process that ran outside its set limits, even where the product still passed.
- Hold and Release Record, which places suspect product on hold and records the decision to release, rework or scrap it.
- Rework Authorization, which authorises rework on nonconforming product and sets out exactly what will be done.
- Anything outside KnowQuality, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Standards
What it is built against
ISO 9001Quality management systems
The international standard for consistently meeting customer and regulatory requirements. Certifiable.
ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the product nonconformance report template based on?+
It is built against ISO 9001 cl.8.7. ISO 9001 is quality management systems. The international standard for consistently meeting customer and regulatory requirements. Certifiable. ISO is international Organization for Standardization. A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.
What sections does the product nonconformance report contain?+
There are 5 sections: header, the nonconformance, extent, food safety and regulatory, investigation and closure. Together they hold 48 fields, 32 of which are required.
How often is a product nonconformance report raised?+
A new record is raised at the moment the event happens, rather than reconstructed afterwards. Each one is given an ID in the form CASE-2026-000, so it can be traced and referenced from other records.
Which programme does the product nonconformance report belong to?+
It is part of HACCP and Food Safety, Nonconformance and Complaints. A HACCP system an auditor can follow from hazard to record without asking a single question.
How is a product nonconformance report scored?+
Scoring is severity band. High is bad. Scores exist to make the form tell you something, not to produce a percentage for its own sake.
Can the product nonconformance report template be changed?+
Yes. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it. Most teams install it as it is, run it for a cycle, then adjust.
The agents
What the agents do with it
The form is the easy part. Keeping it current, routing it to the right owner and holding the evidence together is the work that actually slips.
Holds the product nonconformance report library against your registers, routes each record to its owner, and keeps the evidence trail together.
Coordinates the crew, rolls completion and exceptions into one view, and holds every write for your approval before it touches a record.
This template lives in KnowQuality — quality and food safety. HACCP, nonconformance, traceability, laboratory and customer complaints.
Sources
Sources
- ISO 9001 — Quality management systems
- ISO — International Organization for Standardization