Closing an Inspection

Finalizing and Closing an Inspection or Audit

After you have completed all sections of the inspection or audit form, recorded all necessary observations, and linked any required actions or hazards, the record needs to be finalized and closed. This process typically involves a review and then moving the record to a "Completed" or equivalent status.

General Steps to Close an Inspection/Audit:

1. Open the Record: Access the inspection/audit you wish to close.
2. Final Review:
   • Completeness: Ensure all mandatory fields and relevant sections are thoroughly filled.
   • Accuracy: Double-check the information for correctness and clarity.
   • Scores & Outcomes: If the form uses scoring, review the calculated scores. Confirm the overall outcome (e.g., Pass/Fail, Compliant/Non-compliant).
   • Observations & Evidence: Read through all logged comments and ensure any attached evidence supports the findings.
   • Linked Items: Verify that all necessary Actions or Hazards have been appropriately linked.
3. Sign-off (if applicable):
   • Some forms may include a formal "Sign-off" section, which might require an electronic signature, a name entry, or date of sign-off.
4. Advance to "Completed" Status:
   • Look for a button or workflow action like "Complete," "Submit & Finalize," "Close Audit," or similar. Clicking this will change the record's status (e.g., to "Completed," "Closed," or "Archived").
   • Once completed, the record may become read-only or have limited editing capabilities, depending on the system configuration.
5. Impact on Critical Control Management (CCM):
   • If the inspection/audit was for verifying a Critical Control:
     • The act of completing the inspection, along with its outcome (e.g., "Pass" or "Fail" for the control verification), is critical.
     • This information can automatically update the linked Critical Control record in the CCM module. For instance, a "Fail" outcome typically changes the Control's status to "Not Effective" and can trigger notifications or escalate the issue as per your CCM workflow.
     • Ensure any actions logged for control deficiencies are clearly linked and being tracked.
6. Post-Completion:
   • Notifications: Relevant stakeholders may be automatically notified of the completion and outcome.
   • Reporting: The data from the completed inspection/audit contributes to overall performance monitoring and compliance reporting.

Following these steps ensures that inspections and audits are properly finalized, their findings are formally recorded, and any necessary follow-up processes are initiated, especially concerning the verification of Critical Controls.