Non-conformances occur when a business deviates away from documented procedures. In other words, the business or organization has failed to meet specified requirements governing a particular practice or policy. An instance of non-conformance could be when a product fails to meet adequate standards.

As such, non-conformance report software is designed to achieve high levels of quality control across all aspects of the business. Briefly speaking, it tracks instances of non-conformance, alerts those to take appropriate action and analyzes data to prevent instances of non-conformance from happening in the future.

Non-conformance software is critical to business management, as you will see below.

In a broad sense, non-conformance software replaces the outdated reactionary approach to dealing with instances of non-conformance, a largely ineffective and costly method for businesses. Non-conformance software also prevents those non-conformances from happening in the future.

There is no denying that non-conformance software offers an improved way for businesses to manage non-conformances through the following:

• Tracking and recording instances of non-conformances
• Automating the process of dealing with non-conformances so that appropriate action is taken immediately
• Analyzing trends and reasons for non-conformances so that they can be prevented in the future, thereby mitigating risk

First and foremost, non-conformance software is designed to record and track non-conformances, as well as the cost of such non-conformances. With that being said, there are many more capabilities of the software in addition to those listed.

Non-conformance software also streamlines the entire process; it automates your workflow when it comes to dealing with non-conformances. For example, this software allows businesses to assign follow-up corrective and preventive action (CAPA) tasks in response to issues of non-compliance. In other words, non-conformance software drives action behind the scenes so that management personnel can focus on high priority tasks - more on this to come.

An important part of business management is keeping track of overall productivity levels and implementing processes to improve efficiencies. After all, productivity is directly tied to a business’s bottom line, so it is imperative that productivity levels are closely managed.

That’s precisely how non-conformance software aids in business management. It automatically implements the process of dealing with non-conformances so that action is taken without management having to intervene - which is both time consuming and costly. Automation, made possible through advancements in technology and the implementation of software, has allowed businesses to focus on areas of their business that directly drive growth (for example, building customer relationships).

Here’s an example of how non-conformance report software improves productivity levels.

Again, remember that non-conformance software can assign user responsibility at every stage. In the instance of a non-conformance, the software would send automated emails and reminders to ensure that employers are held accountable and that they take the appropriate action right away (you can also monitor non-conformances in real-time).

In this way, the software has entirely replaced the need for management to step in and respond to the non-conformance. It is critical to the success of the business that non-conformances are not only dealt with, but dealt with swiftly. Non-conformance software is designed to do exactly that.

Given that non-conformance software also tracks and records all instances of non-conformances, the software also allows businesses to identify trends and, in particular, recurring non-conformances so that they can be acted upon and eliminated. Non-conformance software can also identify and investigate the root-cause of such non-conformances through detailed statistical analysis.

The effect of such reporting has the ability to reduce NC processing costs by 300-400%. If businesses want to improve their internal processes, they have to have a tight hold on their data and non-conformance report software gives you the data you need to improve internal processes in your business or organization.

Allow us to use the food industry as an example of why quality management software is so critical (and why it’s gaining popularity).

The most recent statistics from the CDC show that 48,000 people get sick from foodborne illnesses every year; 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 people die because of them. As you can see, food quality and safety management is a critical aspect of the food industry; quality management software is integral to this process.

Quality management software, for example, allows food manufacturers to ensure that the quality of their products is high and that contamination is prevented. It prevents the costs involved in removing the product, as well as the damage to your brand that could result as well.

Overall, quality management software ensures that manufacturers are complying with various legislative regulations regarding nutrient profiles and bio-safety measures; it allows you to identify and track quality issues as well as manage non-conforming products. It also analyzes the data to put preventative measures in place.

Non-conformance report software allows businesses to manage non-conforming products and processes as part of their quality management program. This includes identification, tracking, identification of the underlying cause, CAPA resolution and, of course, closure.

Again, one of the primary benefits of non-conformance software is that it allows businesses to handle all aspects of compliance related tasks, alerting both employees and even suppliers whenever there is an issue of non-compliance.

Other benefits of non-conformance software include decreased product quality costs, improved quality and decreased regulatory risk to name just a few.

Quality management software is quickly spreading across many industries, including in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, medical device companies, the food and beverage industry, consumer products, discrete manufacturing and chemical and agrochemical manufacturers. QMS is also being in other industries as well, including in aerospace and defense, blood and tissue, government agencies and oil and gas.

The process begins by communicating your operational principles to your employees through orientation, or something to that effect, as well as the overall mission of your company (where you are headed as a business).

Identifying the critical success factors (i.e. performance based measures like financial performance or customer satisfaction) can then help to determine how well you are working toward your above mission. The next part, of course, is actually measuring those critical success factors.

Keep in mind that identifying key customer groups and getting their feedback through outreach like surveys is important. However, you also have to act on the data through an improvement plan, which includes goals and accompanying assignments for staff. Resurveying and monitoring your critical success factors on a monthly basis are the final components of implementing your quality management software. The results can then be incorporated into your marketing plan.

Above all, non-conformance report software keeps quality high; it minimizes the risks (and the costs) associated with faulty products and protects brand reputation. It saves costs and analyzes data so that instances of non-conformance are prevented in the future, therein keeping customer satisfaction high as well.

It allows businesses to identify products that don’t comply and to take action immediately, all through an automated process that improves productivity and overall efficiency. The result is also a healthier bottom line.

UniPoint offers leading non-conformance report software on the market today. For more information, contact us here.