What this is
What is a rework authorization?
What is a rework authorization?
A rework authorization is the quality decision to correct nonconforming product by reworking it, made before the rework starts. It names the method, the quantity, who performs it and where, assesses the risk the rework itself introduces, and is approved by quality rather than by production alone. It is distinct from the instruction that tells operators how to carry the rework out.
Who approves a rework authorization?
Quality. Production can propose a method and a quantity, but the authorization to proceed sits with quality, captured as a named approver and signature, not a verbal go-ahead.
How is a rework authorization different from a rework instruction?
The authorization is the decision: is rework permitted, on what quantity, by what method, at what risk. The instruction is the detail that follows: exact addition rate, target product, storage and operator briefing. One authorizes; the other executes.
Scope
When is a rework authorization required?
This authorization is the decision step in a rework sequence that runs from hold, through authorization, to instruction and reinspection. Using it to write the method in detail, or to record product that was reworked without prior authorization, produces a record that cannot show the decision was made in time.
Use this template when
- Product is on hold or otherwise identified as nonconforming, and rework is one of the dispositions being considered
- A quantity, method and location for rework need a quality decision before anyone begins
- The rework carries risks, such as allergen carryover or shelf-life impact, that need to be assessed and accepted before proceeding
- The rework needs to be linked back to the case or hold record that identified the nonconformance
- Reworked product needs a documented reinspection result before it can be released
Do not use it for
- Rework Instruction Record, which sets out the step-by-step method, addition rate and target product once rework has already been authorized.
- Concession Request, which accepts nonconforming product as it stands, or with a customer's agreement, without correcting it.
- Hold and Release Record, which places suspect product on hold and records the decision to release, rework or scrap it.
- Scrap Record, which records destruction of product where rework is not viable.
- Anything outside KnowQuality, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Compliance mapping
Which ISO 9001 cl.8.7 requirements does this satisfy?
ISO 9001 cl.8.7 names rework as one option for nonconforming output, and requires it to be re-verified before release. It prescribes no form, so the authorization's defensibility rests on the risk reasoning it records, not its layout.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 cl.8.7.1 | Nonconforming output dealt with by correction, one option among segregation, concession or return, decided before the correction proceeds | Rework proposed |
| ISO 9001 cl.8.7.1 | Containment and segregation of the nonconforming output maintained while its disposition is decided | Header |
| ISO 9001 cl.8.7.2 | Documented information retained: the nonconformity, the action taken, any concessions, and the authority deciding the action | Rework proposed |
| ISO 9001 cl.8.6 | Product not released until conformity has been verified, unless otherwise approved by a relevant authority | Result |
| ISO 9001 cl.8.5.2 | Identification and traceability of outputs maintained throughout production, including corrected output | Risk of rework |
| ISO 9001 cl.7.5.3 | Documented information controlled, retained and available to the people who approved and performed the action | Result |
What it does not cover
- Rework Instruction Record, which sets out the exact addition rate, target product and storage of the rework once this authorization has approved that rework may proceed.
- Concession Request, which accepts the nonconforming product without correcting it, typically with the customer's agreement.
- Product Nonconformance Report, which records that the product did not meet specification in the first place.
- Hold and Release Record, which places suspect product on hold and records the decision to release, rework or scrap it.
- Scrap Record, which records destruction where rework is not technically possible or not economically justified.
Global
Rework Authorization requirements by country
ISO 9001 is voluntary and sets the baseline reasoning: correct, then re-verify. Food manufacturers layer certification-scheme and labelling rules on top, because a rework decision made without those in view can produce a batch that passes ISO's test and still breaches a label declaration.
FDA Food Safety Modernization Act preventive controls (21 CFR 117)
Corrective action for a process deviation must be documented, including the disposition of affected product.
A rework decision on covered product has to be defensible as a documented corrective action, not just a quality sign-off.
BRCGS Food Safety Standard, rework and reprocessing requirements
Retailer-required certification schemes expect rework to be authorized, quantified against specification limits, and traceable, with particular attention to allergens.
A BRCGS-certified site is audited on whether the authorization exists and was followed, not only on whether the product passed.
ISO 9001:2015 cl.8.7 and Codex Alimentarius general principles of food hygiene
ISO sets the requirement to correct and re-verify; Codex expects reprocessing to be controlled and not introduce contamination.
Certification auditors under either framework examine the reasoning behind the decision, not just its outcome.
How to complete it
How to complete a rework authorization, step by step
The fields that determine whether an authorization was a real decision are the risk fields, not the method fields. A method without a risk assessment behind it is a production instruction wearing a quality signature.
Allergen carryover, time in the danger zone and shelf-life impact are consequences of the rework itself, separate from the defect being corrected. Rating them after the method is fixed tends to rationalise a chosen method rather than test it.
Most specifications cap how much reworked material can be added into a fresh batch. Recording the percentage without checking it against the limit has recorded a number, not a decision.
Production crew, a dedicated rework team and a third party carry different levels of control and different risks of drift from the authorized method. Name which applies, since it changes what verification is needed afterwards.
Reworked product should be checked against the full specification, not only the defect that caused the hold. A rework can fix the original defect and introduce a new one, and a reinspection scoped to the original issue will not find it.
What auditors find
Most common rework authorization findings
Rework authorization findings mostly concern timing and completeness: whether the decision preceded the action, and whether the risk fields were actually reasoned through rather than defaulted.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Authorization completed after rework had already started or finished. | ISO 9001 cl.8.7.1 | Require the authorization date and signature to precede the rework start on the line. |
| Rework instruction not documented, or the reference to a written method left blank. | ISO 9001 cl.8.7.2 | Do not release the authorization until the instruction document field holds a valid reference. |
| Allergen carryover, time-temperature or foreign material risk rated without reasoning, defaulted to low. | ISO 9001 cl.8.7.1 | Require a note against any rating above none, and route high ratings to a second reviewer. |
| Rework percentage added to the new batch exceeds the specification limit. | ISO 9001 cl.8.7.1 | Block submission where the percentage field exceeds the specification's stated cap. |
| Traceability not maintained between the original batch and the new batch it was added to. | ISO 9001 cl.8.5.2 | Require both batch numbers on the record and confirm the link resolves in the batch system. |
| Reworked product released without a recorded reinspection result. | ISO 9001 cl.8.6 | Do not permit closure of the authorization until the reinspection result field is complete and passing. |
Case in point
Case in point: the authorization that skipped the shelf life
A dairy site held a batch of cultured milk for a minor fill-weight deviation and authorized rework by blending it into a fresh batch at a stated percentage, within the specification limit. Allergen and foreign material risk were correctly rated low, and the rework team performing the blend was named.
Nobody recalculated the shelf life of the resulting batch. Its use-by date was set from the fresh batch's own production date, on the assumption a small addition would not matter. The reworked material was itself three days older, and the blended product was declared a shelf life it could not hold, discovered only when a retailer's testing flagged early spoilage.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
4 sections
- Reference
- QUA-004
- Archetype
- Record
- Record ID
- RWK-2026-000
- Scoring
- Not scored
- Direction
- n/a
- Singleton
- No
- Basis
- ISO 9001 cl.8.7
- Links
- Links Case, Hold
- Tags
- Quality, Control
- Sections
- 4
- Fields
- 42
- Follow up fields
- 0
- Repeating sections
- 0
- Links out
- 5
Header
14 fieldsAuthorization ID*
Auto sequence. Format RWK-2026-0000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Date and Time*
Raised By*
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Line*
Shift*
Line Lead
Batch Number*
Numeric key joining to your ERP batch record.
Links to External system reference
Product*
Production Date*
Hold ID*
Links to QUA-003 Hold ID
Case ID
Thread key
Rework proposed
7 fieldsQuantity To Rework*
Rework Method*
Where Rework Happens*
Who Performs It*
Rework Instruction Documented*
- Pass2 pts
- Partial1 pt
- Fail0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Rework Instruction
Document ID
Format DOC-0000.
Links to FDN-008 Document ID
Risk of rework
9 fieldsRework Creates Its Own Risk
Reworked product goes through the process twice. Check allergen carryover, extended time in the temperature danger zone, and the shelf life you are declaring.
Allergen Carryover Risk*
- None4 pts
- Low3 pts
- Medium1 pt
- High0 pts
Time Temperature Risk*
- None4 pts
- Low3 pts
- Medium1 pt
- High0 pts
Foreign Material Risk*
- None4 pts
- Low3 pts
- Medium1 pt
- High0 pts
Shelf Life Recalculated*
- Yes3 pts
- Not required3 pts
- No0 pts
New Shelf Life Date
Traceability Maintained*
Reworked product must remain traceable to both the original and the new batch.
- Yes3 pts
- Partly1 pt
- No0 pts
Rework Percent Within Limit*
Most specifications cap how much rework can be added to a fresh batch.
- Yes3 pts
- At limit1 pt
- Exceeded0 pts
Percent Added To New Batch
Result
12 fieldsRework Completed*
Quantity Reworked
Quantity Failed Rework
Reinspected After Rework*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Inspection ID
Links to QUA-014 Inspection ID
Result*
- Pass3 pts
- Pass with conditions2 pts
- Fail0 pts
New Batch Number
Links to External system reference
Traceability Record ID
Links to QUA-073 Trace ID
Quality Approver*
Signature*
Production*
Second Signature*
QUA-004 · record IDs look like RWK-2026-000 · Links Case, Hold
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The authorization is a single decision. What fails around it is the sequence: rework started before the decision, the instruction never referenced, or the reinspection result never closed the loop.
Holds the rework authorization against its linked hold and case records, and will not let a rework instruction be issued until the authorization has cleared.
Follows the batch link from the original nonconformance through the rework into the new batch, so a traceability question can be answered without reconstructing it by hand.
Watches for rework recorded on the line before an authorization exists, and for authorizations left open past their expected reinspection, and raises both rather than waiting for an audit to find them.
This template lives in KnowQuality — quality and food safety. HACCP, nonconformance, traceability, laboratory and customer complaints.
Meet KnowQuality→Glossary
Rework Authorization definitions and key terms
- Rework
- Correction of nonconforming output to bring it into conformity, one of several dispositions under ISO 9001 alongside concession, return and scrap.
- Concession
- Acceptance of nonconforming product as it stands, or with the customer's agreement, without correcting it.
- Residual risk of rework
- Risk introduced by reworking itself, distinct from the original defect: allergen carryover, extended time in the danger zone, and shelf-life impact.
- Reinspection
- Verification of reworked product against the full specification after rework and before release, not limited to the original defect.
- Traceability record
- The link between the batch that was reworked and the new batch it was added to, needed to trace either batch forward or backward.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about rework authorization
Can production start rework before quality authorizes it?+
No. The authorization is the decision that rework may proceed, made by quality, and it precedes the rework rather than following it. Rework carried out first and authorized afterwards has not been through the risk assessment the authorization exists to force.
What is the difference between a rework authorization and a rework instruction?+
The authorization decides whether rework is permitted, on what quantity, at what risk, and by what method in outline. The instruction sets out the method in the detail an operator needs: exact addition rate, target product, storage and labelling. The authorization comes first.
Does every rework need a full risk assessment?+
Every rework needs the risk fields completed with reasoning, even where the answer is none or low. A straightforward like-into-like addition needs less discussion than one involving a different allergen profile or an extended hold, but the fields should not be defaulted either way.
Who signs off a rework authorization?+
A quality approver, evidenced by signature, and typically a second signature from production confirming the rework was carried out as authorized. Two signatures reflect that the decision and the execution are separate accountable acts.
What happens if rework fails reinspection?+
The quantity that failed reinspection is recorded separately from the quantity that passed, and the failed material moves to a further disposition, typically scrap or a second concession decision, rather than release.
Why does the rework percentage matter if the batch still passes inspection?+
Specifications commonly cap the proportion of reworked material a batch can carry, independent of whether the finished product passes. Exceeding the cap is a breach even where tested attributes look acceptable, since the limit bounds cumulative effects inspection does not directly measure.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Nonconformance and Complaints
Root Cause Analysis
Finds out why something happened rather than who was involved
Corrective and Preventive Action
The single action record used everywhere
Product Nonconformance Report
Records product that does not meet specification
Process Deviation Report
Records a process that ran outside its set limits, even where the product still passed
Hold and Release Record
Places suspect product on hold and records the decision to release, rework or scrap it
Scrap Record
Records product written off, with quantity, reason and cost
More in Nonconformance
Product Nonconformance Report
Records product that does not meet specification
Process Deviation Report
Records a process that ran outside its set limits, even where the product still passed
Hold and Release Record
Places suspect product on hold and records the decision to release, rework or scrap it
Scrap Record
Records product written off, with quantity, reason and cost
Concession Request
Requests permission to use or ship product that does not fully meet specification
Material Rejection Report
Rejects incoming material that fails inspection
Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- ISO 9001:2015 clauses 8.7, 8.6, 8.5.2 and 7.5.3
- FDA Food Safety Modernization Act preventive controls, 21 CFR Part 117 (US)
- BRCGS Food Safety Standard, rework and reprocessing requirements (UK)
- Codex Alimentarius CXC 1-1969, General Principles of Food Hygiene
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.