It is common to use Excel spreadsheets to dealing with non-conformities. An Excel spreadsheet can be useful for storing simple information, but it is quickly limited to managing complex processes such as managing non-conformances.
For example:
- Inconsistencies and errors: With an Excel spreadsheet, it is easy to make input errors or to set up incorrect formulas that can affect data quality.
- Limited accessibility: With an Excel spreadsheet, it is not possible to easily share data with other collaborators or to access it from different locations.
- Limited automation: Excel cannot automate complex processes such as notifications and non-compliance follow-ups.
- Lack of reporting features: Excel does not provide detailed reporting features to track non-conformities, making it difficult to make decisions based on reliable data.
The challenges of effectively dealing with non-conformities
A quality incident handling process can quickly become tedious and unreliable if you limit yourself to processing them using an Excel spreadsheet. As a reminder, NC processing is an important part of quality management and can help businesses maintain their commitment to quality, comply with regulations, and improve customer trust.
The management of non-conformities therefore requires rigorous organization and real-time monitoring.
Declaring a non-conformity must be simple and accessible to all employees. This is where non-conformance management software can be of great help.
What are the advantages of a solution for dealing with non-conformities?
By using software dedicated to the management of non-conformities, you benefit from numerous advantages compared to Excel:
- Accessibility: Each employee can declare an NC directly from a form accessible online from their workstation or while on the move. Entering is facilitated thanks to assistants, drop-down lists,...
- Real-time access: You can access information on non-conformities and their status at any time.
- Management of action plans: you can create corrective or preventive actions associated with NC while ensuring traceability
- Automatic alert: You receive notifications when actions are required to address a non-compliance.
- Automated workflow : The software guides you through the steps required to deal with a non-compliance, from declaration to closure.
- Real-time monitoring: You can monitor the progress of each non-compliance in real time.
- Reporting: You can generate detailed reports on non-conformities, their frequency, and severity.
- Sharing information: You can share information about non-conformances with others within your business.
Conclusion
In summary, using non-conformance management software instead of a spreadsheet, offers three major advantages :
1/ better organization
2/ better transparency
3/ better reliability.
A non-conformance treatment solution allows you to deal with non-conformities more effectively and make more informed decisions. So, for optimal management of non-conformities, abandon Excel and opt for dedicated software.
