SAMPLE BASELINE / 01
Turn a physical review into a reproducible production reference.
A useful approval record lets another person identify the exact sample, repeat the important checks and see what the decision does not cover. It connects the sample to controlled documents, measured criteria, test evidence, open exceptions, custody and the next production or inspection decision.
Identify the sample type, source and revision
State whether it is a development sample, pre-production sample, packaging sample, colour standard or another defined type. Record the supplier, factory or workshop, model or SKU, sample ID, revision, quantity, dispatch and receipt dates, reviewer and photographs of labels and distinguishing features.
Do not use “latest sample” as an identifier. If the supplier made more than one version, give every version its own record and make the superseded state visible.
Freeze the documents that control the comparison
List the specification, drawing, bill of materials, colour or finish reference, artwork, label and packaging instruction by document ID and revision. State which reference controls if a sample, drawing and written tolerance conflict.
Define the product specification baseline before using a sample to represent it →
ISO 10007:2017 provides lifecycle guidance for configuration management. For the buyer’s record, the practical boundary is simple: a review is not reproducible when the sample or its controlling documents can be silently replaced.
Translate intended use into measurable criteria
Record the intended use, critical functions, dimensions, tolerances, materials, assembly, performance checks and test method that matter to acceptance. Name the equipment, conditions, units and reviewer where they affect the result.
ISO’s buyer guidance on ISO 9001 in the supply chain says the purchaser needs to make its requirements clear and focus on intended use. A supplier’s quality-management-system claim does not define the product requirements for this sample.
A physical reference can help with appearance, feel and assembly, but it should not replace tolerances, materials, performance requirements or destination-specific obligations that need words, numbers or test methods.
Review appearance, branding, assembly and pack-out
Check finish, colour, surface quality, fit, moving parts, accessories, artwork, labels, warnings, barcodes, retail packaging and master-carton details that are in scope. Photograph the reviewed state under known conditions and record any temporary material, manual finish or prototype-only feature.
Do not let an attractive prototype conceal an unresolved production method, component, packaging or labelling decision. Put every accepted difference in writing with an owner and expiry or closure condition.
Match laboratory and test evidence to this exact sample
Where testing is required, match the report number, tested item description, sample identifier, model, material, dates, method, result and laboratory to the sample record. Check whether the laboratory’s relevant scope covers the test and whether the report actually supports the intended product and destination decision.
ISO/IEC 17025:2017 addresses competence, impartiality and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories. Laboratory competence does not establish who supplied the tested item or whether later production will match it.
Match certificates and test reports to the product, sample and order →
Log discrepancies and choose an explicit approval state
For every difference, record the reference requirement, observed result, severity or impact, photograph or measurement, owner, due date and proposed action. Use states such as rejected, revision required, conditionally accepted, approved reference, released or superseded instead of one ambiguous “approved” flag.
A conditional acceptance should say what remains open and must not be treated as production release unless an authorised record explicitly closes every required hold point.
Label and retain the approved comparison reference
Where practical, retain matching buyer and supplier references with the same sample ID, revision, approval date and tamper-evident label or signature. Record each custodian, storage location, photographs, seal condition and any ageing, damage or environmental limit that could change the reference.
Use the retained item for the characteristics it can represent. The written specification still controls measurable tolerances, composition, hidden construction, performance and other requirements that cannot be reliably preserved in one physical item.
Issue the production and inspection handoff with change control
Link the approved sample record into the purchase order, specification pack, supplier acknowledgement and inspection brief. Name which exact revision may be produced, the permitted quantity or stage, the remaining hold points and who can authorise release.
Require impact review and a new revision or reapproval when the factory, material, component, tooling, design, finish, artwork, packaging, test evidence or intended destination changes. One approved sample and a later lot-sampling decision answer different questions. ISO 2859-1:2026 covers lot-by-lot acceptance sampling schemes indexed by AQL; it does not turn one sample into evidence for every unit.
Carry the approved reference into the controlled purchase-order baseline →
Use that baseline at a buyer-defined production checkpoint →
Use that baseline in the pre-shipment inspection and buyer release record →
APPROVAL RECORD / 02
Minimum fields for a reviewable sample decision
| Control area | Record | Evidence | Hold when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity | Supplier, site, SKU, sample type, ID, revision and dates | Labels, dispatch record and dated photographs | The reviewed item cannot be distinguished from another version |
| Comparison pack | Controlling specifications, drawings, materials, artwork and packaging revisions | Versioned files and conflict rule | Two references disagree or can be replaced without approval |
| Function and measurement | Intended use, methods, equipment, tolerances and results | Check sheets, measurements and reviewer record | A critical requirement has no objective acceptance method |
| Appearance and pack-out | Finish, assembly, accessories, branding, labels and packaging | Dated photographs and approved exceptions | A prototype-only or temporary feature is not declared |
| Test evidence | Report, tested-item identity, method, result and laboratory scope | Source-checked report and sample match | The report cannot be connected to this sample and decision |
| Exceptions | Requirement, observed difference, impact, owner, due date and action | Issue log and closure evidence | An open exception is hidden inside a general approval |
| Retained reference | Buyer/supplier copies, labels, custodians, storage and condition | Signed labels, seal and custody photographs | The reference is missing, changed or no longer comparable |
| Handoff | Decision state, authorised owner, released work, PO and inspection links | Signed revision and supplier acknowledgement | Production can start from an ambiguous or superseded version |
DECISION STATES / 03
Separate sample acceptance from production release
| State | Meaning | Permitted next action |
|---|---|---|
| Development / rejected | The item does not yet meet the comparison pack or intended-use criteria | Request a corrected, newly identified sample |
| Conditional | Named differences are accepted only for evaluation or a limited purpose | Close the written conditions; do not infer mass-production release |
| Approved reference | The exact sample revision is accepted as one controlled comparison reference | Complete the PO, evidence and release gates |
| Production released | An authorised owner has linked the approved revision to defined work and closed mandatory holds | Start only the named stage, quantity and revision |
| Superseded / reapproval required | A relevant change or later revision has replaced the prior baseline | Hold affected work until impact review and a new decision |
METHOD / 04
How this checklist was prepared
Currawong Web’s China-side verification desk reviewed the official sources below on 31 July 2026. ISO 10007 supports the configuration-management boundary; ISO’s supply-chain guide supports clear buyer requirements and intended-use context; ISO/IEC 17025 supports the laboratory-competence boundary; ISO 2859-1 distinguishes later lot-sampling decisions.
The eight-check workflow, approval record and decision states are our evidence-control synthesis. We did not inspect any reader’s sample, supplier, factory, specification, report, order, destination requirements or production lot. This is general evidence-organising guidance, not product testing, a compliance opinion, legal advice, supplier approval, production release or quality guarantee.
PRIMARY SOURCES / 05
Official sources used for this guide
Links and page content were checked on 31 July 2026. Re-open the relevant source and obtain product-, destination- and contract-specific advice before a material production decision.
- ISO 10007:2017 — Guidelines for configuration managementOfficial ISO record for configuration-management guidance across a product or service lifecycle; the page notes that revision work is planned.
- ISO — ISO 9001 in the supply chainOfficial buyer guidance on making purchasing requirements and intended-use needs clear; it also separates a QMS claim from product conformity.
- ISO/IEC 17025:2017Official ISO record for requirements concerning testing and calibration laboratory competence, impartiality and consistent operation.
- ISO 2859-1:2026Official ISO record for lot-by-lot acceptance sampling procedures indexed by AQL.
COMMON QUESTIONS / 06
Keep sample approval inside its evidence boundary
- What is a “golden sample”?
- Teams often use the term for an approved physical comparison reference. The label alone is not a control: give the item a unique ID and revision, connect it to written criteria, record custody and state exactly what decision it supports.
- Can the sample replace the product specification?
- No. It can represent selected visible or tactile characteristics, but written requirements should control dimensions, tolerances, materials, hidden construction, performance and other measurable or destination-specific criteria.
- Does a passing laboratory report approve the sample?
- Only the named tests and results can support the decision, and only when the tested item is matched to the reviewed sample. The buyer must still assess the rest of the specification and destination requirements.
- Can I approve with minor differences?
- You can record a conditional state, but list every accepted difference, impact, owner and closure condition. Do not let conditional acceptance silently become production release.
- What happens after a material, component or factory change?
- Record the impact, supersede the affected baseline and require a new revision or reapproval before affected work proceeds.