The change goes in; the paperwork is worth a check
A change can go in on the floor while the PFMEA, control plan or work instruction stays on the old revision, or while old stock and the first-off check are left out. This log keeps the decision and the follow-up on one row per change. For which documents to touch after an 8D, see PFMEA and control plan update after an 8D.
What is in the file
- Settings: an as-of date (blank means today) and days to a decision, used only on rows where decision due by is blank. The 14 days are our own default, not from a standard; change them.
- Log: ref, change, part or process, change type, owner, raised on, decision due by, decision (Go, Sent back, On hold; blank while waiting), decision on, planned for, implemented on, documents to update and documents updated (counts), customer to be told and told on, old stock (Done or Not needed), first-off check on.
- Days waiting for decision runs from raised on to the as-of date, while the decision is blank.
- A separate check column. The status never hides it, and a row can show several notes, joined with a semicolon.
- Counts under the log: rows logged, rows per status, rows with a check note, rows past due (any status), a line that should read 0 (rows not in any status), and documents to update and updated. No score and no ranking.
How the status is worked out
In this order; the first match wins:
| Status | When |
|---|---|
| Enter ref | The row has an entry but no ref. It still counts. |
| Describe the change | Change is blank. |
| Sent back | Decision is Sent back. |
| On hold | Decision is On hold. |
| Decision past due | No decision yet, and the as-of date is after decision due by. |
| Waiting for decision | No decision yet. |
| Decision recorded, not implemented | Decision is Go and implemented on is blank. |
| Implemented, follow-up open | Documents updated is below documents to update, first-off check or old stock is blank, or the customer is to be told and not told yet. |
| Implemented, follow-up done | None of the above. |
Check column notes, each followed by "worth a check", on any row whatever its status:
- Decision past due, no decision
- Planned date past due, not implemented
- Implemented without a Go decision
- Implemented before the decision date
- Documents not all updated
- More documents updated than listed
- Customer to be told, not told yet
- Old stock not recorded
- First-off check date blank
- Decision date blank
- Documents to update blank on a Go row
- Decision due blank, Settings default used
- Implemented date after the as-of date
So a row still missing its ref or description shows that fill-in step, and the check column still says when the decision or the planned date is past due.
The log records your own decision. It does not make it, and it says nothing about what a customer will decide; your procedure and your customer's requirements come first.
Example (fictional)
Made-up changes, extract, as of Thursday 22 October 2026, Settings 14 days to a decision. Documents shown as to update / updated:
| Ref | Change | Decision | Implemented on | Documents | Status | Days waiting | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-01 | Second cavity on mould 3 | Go | Mon 5 Oct 2026 | 3 / 3 | Implemented, follow-up done | ||
| C-02 | New resin source | Go | Mon 12 Oct 2026 | 4 / 2 | Implemented, follow-up open | Documents not all updated: worth a check; Customer to be told, not told yet: worth a check | |
| C-03 | Torque change at station 5 | Decision past due | 28 | Decision past due, no decision: worth a check; Decision due blank, Settings default used: worth a check | |||
| C-04 | Revised label layout | Waiting for decision | 8 | ||||
| C-05 | Move test bench to hall B | Go | 2 / 0 | Decision recorded, not implemented | Planned date past due, not implemented: worth a check | ||
| C-07 | Second plating line at supplier | Wed 7 Oct 2026 | Decision past due | 65 | Decision past due, no decision: worth a check; Implemented without a Go decision: worth a check |
Worth a check each month
- Decision past due (marked in red), and any row whose check column says past due.
- Changes implemented without a Go decision, or before the decision date.
- Follow-up still open: documents not all updated, customer not told yet, old stock or first-off check not recorded.
From an 8D to the change log
A permanent corrective action in D7 prevent recurrence is a change too. Logging it here lists the documents to update next to the change, which is what D7 asks for. Before you close, the D8 closure checklist is worth a look.
Related
- PFMEA and control plan update after an 8D
- Control plan template
- Deviation and concession request log (Excel)
- Document register generator
- D7 prevent recurrence
- Supplier change notification log (Excel)
- Free 8D and quality tools
Advisory template, in English. Not a customer decision.