When an audit is completed, the audit progresses to the Close stage. In this stage you review the audit findings and ensure relevant actions, if any, have been identified before closing the audit.
Quick steps to closing an audit task:
- Go to the Task management component
- Select from the Task options provided
- Complete the required fields
- Review and/or consider adding non-conformities or opportunities for improvement.
- Click Close
Workflow
The Stage Navigation Bar displays the stage in the workflow that the task is in. In the example below, the task is currently in the Close stage.
Form components
Audit summary | The name of the audit |
Action history | A chronological list of actions within each stage od the audit and the comments users have made. |
Task management | Your options for closing the audit or making a progress note. |
Identified issues and improvements | Where you can add non-conformities or opportunities for improvement. They will be automatically added to the Improvement register. |
Attach records | Where you can attach files relevant to the audit, such as audit reports. |
System event history | A chronological list maintained by the system of most entries, changes, and linkages made in the system in relation to this audit. |
Action history
This component displays instructions, actions taken, progress notes and comments made to date as the item has progressed through the workflow. Hovering over the date in the Action history will display who recorded the note.
Task management
This audit has been completed and assigned to you to approve.
Refer to the Action history and the Identified issues and improvements components to see the outcomes of the audit.
Task options
Assign another task
Choose this option if further action is required. For example:
- The audit wasn't conducted as required.
- The audit tool used was incorrect.
- The audit report has not been uploaded to the QMS.
- The recommendations arising from the audit have not been added to the QMS.
- Task instructions - document what further action is required, e.g. 'Upload the audit report'
- Assign to - select the staff member who is responsible for taking the action
- Assign to me - tick this box, if the further action to be taken is to be assigned to you
- Task due date - select the date the task is to be completed by
Approve and close
Choose this option if no further action is required
- In signing off on the task you may want to note the grounds for approving the audit. For example, "Audit conducted as required and the report, which has been uploaded to the QMS, clearly documents the findings. Recommendations have been added to the QMS".
- Additional comments (optional) - tick the box, to add additional comments.
Caution: Once an audit has been closed, details relating to what action has been taken and any other comments cannot be edited.
Attach records
This component enables you to attach records associated with the audit. While it would be expected that the Action officer who conducted the audit would have already uploaded a copy of the audit report, there may be other records associated with the audit that need to be uploaded. For example, if the audit was an conducted by an external agency further correspondence relating to the audit or the accreditation certificate may have been received post the audit. These records can be attached at this stage of the workflow. Click Attach to add records.
- Record name - When naming the record ensure the description is meaningful and easily found when searching. For instance, "Accreditation certificate - RACGP - 2022".
- File or Link - click on Choose file and navigate to the record on your computer. If you have links enabled, toggle to change the control to add a URL to the record. The URL must be a in a web (http://) or Microsoft SharePoint format (https://<company>.sharepoint.com/...)
- Viewing permissions - by default, the viewing permissions for the record will inherit the viewing permissions set in the Assign component on the Audit details form, however, you can apply a different level of access for the record. This is because the record itself can also be accessed via the Records register.
Submit/save the form
Once a task option is selected, click the Save/Submit button to save the form and complete the task.
Select Create a related item if you want to create a separate linked item on another register when you save the form. A link between the two items will be displayed in each item's System event history.