Use and Improve your QMS

Congratulations on completing your QMS design and documentation! This is a good time to celebrate, and to communicate appreciation and kudos to everyone involved!

The next step in your project is to use and improve your QMS.

1. Follow documented procedures and work instructions
   

   Everyone in your organization should be performing processes following your documented procedures and work instructions, complying with the QMS requirements.
2. Make improvements to the processes
   Many of these procedures may be new to your organization, or have changed significantly during your ISO 9001 project. Now that they are actually in use, you will most likely find areas that can be improved. Make improvements using the Corrective and Preventive Action process and the document revision process.
3. Conduct Internal Audits
   Schedule internal audits to cover all areas of the organization before your Registration Audit. Allow time to take corrective action on any findings. A robust and effective internal audit program is one of the best tools to finding and correcting shortcomings in the QMS before your Registration Audit.
4. Hold frequent Management Review meetings
   Management Review is another key factor in getting the new QMS ready for a Registration Audit. Review information from Internal Audits, Corrective and Preventive Action and results of measuring and monitoring of the QMS. Initiate corrective actions and preventive actions to fix problems and make improvements to the QMS.
5. Keep records
   During the Registration Audit, the auditor will be looking for evidence that you are complying with the requirements of ISO 9001 and of your QMS. This evidence is in the form of records that you generate as you run your QMS. Be sure that you are following all of the records requirements that you set up in the QMS. Run your system for several months before your Registration Audit so there are sufficient records for the auditor to evaluate.