What is in the workbook
| Section | Columns |
|---|---|
| Header | Complaint / 8D no., customer, part, site, date opened, status / revision, 8D owner |
| D1 | Name, function, role in team, contact |
| D2 | Is / is not for what, where, when, how many |
| D3 | Location, qty checked, qty NOK, method, date / owner |
| D4 | Cause, type (occurrence / escape, drop-down), how verified, result / data |
| D5 | Action, cause addressed, owner, due date, trial verification / criterion |
| D6 | Action, implemented on, verification data / result, status |
| D7 | Document / area, old rev., new rev., date, owner |
| D8 | Open items with owner and due date, closure note |
Each section starts with short grey prompts saying what evidence a reviewer expects. Delete them as you fill in. The example sheet uses the same fictional coating case as the 8D report example PDF.
Where Excel 8Ds usually go wrong
- D3 lists only the locations with NOK parts. Zero results are evidence too.
- The D4 table has one row: the occurrence cause. The escape cause, why nobody caught it, is missing. See the escape point guide.
- D6 shows a result with no criterion written before the data came in.
- Totals in D8 differ from D3 because someone edited one sheet and not the other.
- Merged cells and colours carry meaning that disappears when the customer’s portal imports the file.
Before the 8D goes to the customer, check it with the free 21-item checklist and the free 8D templates.
Get the free 8D checklist21-item PDF. Enter your email to downloadFree 8D templates and toolsWord and PDF
8D Gate’s AI review is paused for now. The checklist and templates are free to use; your customer’s requirements always come first.
Related templates
Tracking several 8Ds at once: supplier 8D tracker (Excel). For D2 and D4: Is / Is-Not, 5 Whys and fishbone. Before sending, go through the free 21-item 8D checklist.
FAQ
- Excel or Word for an 8D?
- Use whatever your customer’s portal or form expects; that always comes first. Excel suits teams that paste counts and measurement data straight in. Word suits longer D4 explanations. The fields are the same in both.
- Is this the same as the supplier 8D tracker?
- No. This workbook is one 8D report. The supplier 8D tracker is a list for following many open 8Ds and their due dates.
- Does filling every cell mean the 8D will pass?
- No. A full table can still hold an unverified cause or a D6 result with no criterion. The template only asks for the evidence; your customer decides whether it holds up.
- Which languages are available?
- Templates are in English; only the 8D report template also has German, Czech and Polish versions.