A quality manual is a document that describes the intent of an organisation's quality management system and how it operates.

There is a certain amount of debate surrounding quality manuals, what exactly they are, and whether a quality manual is required for ISO 9001 certification.

Many people confuse the term 'quality manual' with a quality management system (QMS). This is understandable, because in the past...

• The ISO 9001 standard talked about a quality manual
  
  
• Companies would often keep a large folder containing master copies of their quality procedures, policies, forms, etc. This was sometimes known as the 'quality manual'.

Today, some in the certification industry see quality manuals as unnecessary.

Does ISO 9001 require a quality manual?

The answer to this question varies on a case-to-case basis. If you are interested in obtaining ISO 9001 certification, whether or not you need a quality manual depends on the format and structure of your QMS.

Here at ISO Accelerator, we regularly help businesses to implement effective quality management systems. As part of each QMS, we do also provide clients with a digital quality manual.

However, this quality manual does not itself contain copies of quality procedures, policies, forms, and so on - instead, these are supplied as part of the complete quality management system. The quality manual is simply a document that describes the intent of the QMS and how it operates.

Developing a quality management system

ISO Accelerator offers a comprehensive ISO 9001 certification service. We will work with you remotely, helping you to develop a quality management system and put it into practice.

Once your QMS has been properly implemented, a remote audit will be conducted to confirm that you are meeting the requirements of your quality management system. You will then be awarded your ISO 9001 certificate.

As a bonus, you will be able to send clients and customers a digital copy of your quality manual to reassure them that you have processes in place to ensure a quality service.

How to Get Certified with ISO Accelerator >

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