PRODUCTION CHECKPOINT / 01
Observe the approved process, preserve the limits, then decide.
During production inspection—also called DUPRO, DPI, inline or in-process inspection—sits between sample and order release and the final pre-shipment decision. A useful record connects controlled requirements to the actual site, work in progress, early finished units, corrections and the next authorised checkpoint.
Freeze the seller, site and approved order baseline
Give the inspector the exact legal seller, actual production site, purchase-order number and revision, SKUs, quantities, current drawings, bill of materials, approved sample record, test requirements, packaging artwork and named hold points. State which record controls if two references conflict.
ISO’s official guide, ISO 9001 in the supply chain, places responsibility on the buyer to make requirements and intended-use needs clear. A supplier’s quality-management-system claim does not define the ordered product.
Identify and approve the sample reference first →
Carry the approved evidence into the purchase-order baseline →
Connect the baseline, checkpoints and exception rules in one quality control plan →
Define an observable process trigger and sample frame
Book against a product-specific milestone: named incoming materials received, tooling and work instructions available, a defined operation running, representative work in progress visible and enough early finished units available for the agreed checks. Record the expected and actual stage, quantities by state, locations and excluded units.
Do not treat a percentage-complete claim as the inspection trigger. Percent complete can mean material purchased, units started, units finished or units packed. Define the numerator, denominator and physical evidence, then require the inspector to record any difference on arrival.
The right checkpoint depends on the product, process risks, correction lead time and buyer hold points. This checklist does not prescribe a universal completion percentage.
Trace critical materials, components and outsourced processes
Match critical materials and components to the bill of materials, approved manufacturer or source, grade or model, lot or batch identifier, incoming record and units in use. Record shortages, substitutions, mixed lots and any critical process performed away from the inspected site.
An invoice, label or certificate is a traceability input, not automatic proof of composition or origin. Where the decision depends on testing, certification or chain of custody, connect the evidence to the exact material, sample, product and order and keep unverified links visible.
Compare work in progress and first production output with controlled criteria
Observe the named process steps and compare available semi-finished and early finished units with the current specification and approved sample. Record identity, measurements, workmanship, assembly, function, finish, markings and pack-out checks that are both relevant and possible at this stage.
Separate a hand-finished development sample from output made with production materials, tooling, workers and instructions. A matching early unit supports only the observed characteristics and process state; it does not establish consistency across the remaining order.
Control inspector competence, methods and sample selection
ISO/IEC 17020:2026 specifies requirements for the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of inspection bodies. Define who will inspect, which site and processes are in scope, the methods and calibrated equipment needed, access limits, witness rules and evidence format.
If accredited inspection is required, use the ILAC MRA and signatory information to find the responsible accreditation body and verify the inspection body’s current scope. Accreditation supports a stated activity; it does not expand the work actually performed or guarantee a commercial conclusion.
Predefine how units will be selected from each visible state and location. Record whether the sample contains work in progress, finished units, packed units or reworked units; do not combine those populations without showing the basis.
Record dated production status instead of accepting a schedule promise
Count or reconcile materials received, units started, work in progress, units completed, units packed, units quarantined, units rejected and units reworked as separate states. Record the observation time, source record, visible quantity, stated quantity and any area that was inaccessible.
Production pace, staffing and remaining work may support a dated estimate. They do not prove the future completion or shipment date. Keep the supplier’s forecast separate from quantities the inspector observed or reconciled.
Contain nonconformities and control every relevant change
For each finding, record the requirement, observed result, affected process or SKU, visible quantity, evidence, immediate containment, proposed correction, owner, due date and required close-out method. Preserve disputed and untestable items instead of converting supplier promises into passed checks.
ISO 10007:2017 provides lifecycle guidance for configuration management. Require impact review and written buyer authority before a factory, material, component, tooling, method, specification, artwork, packaging or critical sub-supplier change alters the approved baseline.
Authorise only the named next stage, quantity and revision
The buyer or authorised reviewer should compare the report with the checkpoint brief, log every open exception and choose a visible state: not ready, review open, hold and contain, continue with conditions, correct and reinspect, or continue to a named next checkpoint. State what work may proceed and what remains blocked.
ISO 2859-1:2026 defines acceptance sampling for a defined lot; a sample of an incomplete production snapshot is not automatically a final-lot acceptance decision. The official ISO record describes AQL-indexed schemes for lot-by-lot inspection. Use the applicable licensed standard and qualified input where acceptance sampling is required.
Carry the current baseline and open exceptions into pre-shipment inspection →
CHECKPOINT BRIEF / 02
Minimum fields for a reviewable during-production inspection
| Control area | Lock before inspection | Evidence to preserve | Hold when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order baseline | Seller, site, PO/specification revision, SKUs and approved sample | Exact references used and unresolved conflicts | The observed work cannot be tied to the approved revision |
| Trigger and frame | Process milestone, expected quantities, locations and populations | Actual stage, counts, locations, exclusions and access limits | The visit cannot observe the risk or correction point it was booked for |
| Materials and sources | Critical item, approved source, grade/model and traceability rule | Labels, lots, records, units in use and declared outsourced work | A substitution or mixed identity has no approved impact review |
| Production output | Checks, method, tolerance and controlling reference | Results for work in progress and early finished units, kept separate | A critical requirement is skipped or only a hand-finished sample is shown |
| Inspector and sample | Competence, scope, methods, equipment and selection approach | Who attended, what was selected, where and under which conditions | Required access, method, equipment or scope is unavailable |
| Progress | Definitions for started, WIP, completed, packed, held and reworked | Dated observed/reconciled counts separate from forecasts | A percentage cannot be traced to units and production states |
| Findings and changes | Containment, correction, authorisation and close-out rules | Issue, affected work, owner, due date and verification evidence | A promise or silent change replaces the agreed control |
| Buyer authority | Permitted states, named reviewer and next hold point | Dated decision, open exceptions and exact work allowed | The report is being treated as automatic production or shipment release |
DECISION STATES / 03
Close the checkpoint with an explicit buyer-owned state
| State | Minimum record | Permitted next action |
|---|---|---|
| Not ready | The required process, materials, work or access was not available | Do not inspect on a silently changed basis; reschedule or obtain buyer direction |
| Observed — review open | Scope and findings recorded; buyer review or evidence remains open | Preserve the state and wait for the named decision |
| Hold and contain | Affected process, units, locations and immediate containment identified | Stop only the named affected work and prevent uncontrolled mixing |
| Continue with conditions | Allowed stage/quantity/revision, conditions, owner and next hold point stated | Proceed only inside the written limit; do not infer final-lot release |
| Correct and reinspect | Correction scope, corrected-work identity and close-out method approved | Perform the named reinspection before the decision resumes |
| Continue to next checkpoint | Authorised reviewer, date, evidence version and open exceptions captured | Proceed to the named stage; retain pre-shipment release as a separate decision |
METHOD / 04
How this checklist was prepared
Currawong Web’s China-side verification desk reviewed the official sources below on 30 July 2026. ISO’s supply-chain guide supports clear buyer requirements; ISO 10007 supports controlled versions and changes; ISO/IEC 17020 supports inspection-body competence, impartiality and consistency; ISO 2859-1 supports the defined-lot sampling boundary; ILAC supports checking accreditation signatories and scopes.
The eight-check workflow, checkpoint brief and continuation states are our evidence-control synthesis. We did not inspect any reader’s supplier, factory, process, material, product, order, sample frame or production record. This is general evidence-organising guidance, not an inspection service, product-specific inspection instruction, schedule forecast, compliance assessment, legal advice, production release or quality guarantee.
PRIMARY SOURCES / 05
Official sources used for this guide
Links and page content were checked on 30 July 2026. Re-open the applicable standard, accredited scope and buyer requirements before a material production decision because records and requirements can change.
- ISO — ISO 9001 in the supply chainOfficial buyer guidance on defining purchasing requirements and intended-use needs; it separates a QMS claim from product conformity.
- ISO 10007:2017Official ISO record for configuration-management guidance across the product or service lifecycle.
- ISO/IEC 17020:2026Official ISO record for competence, impartiality and consistent operation of bodies performing inspection.
- ISO 2859-1:2026Official ISO record for AQL-indexed acceptance-sampling schemes used for lot-by-lot inspection.
- ILAC — MRA and signatoriesOfficial explanation of signatory scopes and the accreditation relationship for inspection bodies using ISO/IEC 17020.
COMMON QUESTIONS / 06
Keep DUPRO inside the observed production boundary
- What is DUPRO or DPI?
- Both labels are commonly used for inspection during production. The useful definition is the written scope: site, process stage, materials, populations, methods, units selected and buyer decision—not the acronym.
- At what percentage should I inspect?
- Use a product-specific milestone instead of a universal percentage. Inspect when the named risks and representative work can be observed and there is still time and authority to contain or correct affected production.
- Can a during-production result replace pre-shipment inspection?
- No. It records an earlier, partial production state. The final defined lot, later changes, packing, documents and release-critical checks need their own evidence and decision.
- Can I use AQL during production?
- A sampling plan may support a defined question when its population and rules are appropriate. Do not present a sample from incomplete work as automatic acceptance of the final lot; use the applicable standard and qualified input.
- Does an accredited inspection body guarantee the result?
- No. Verify the body’s current scope and then review what was actually inspected, the method, access limits, sample and open findings. Accreditation does not turn a scoped report into a product or schedule guarantee.