8D Gate

Customer quality · Excel

Customer return (RMA) analysis log: free Excel

One row per return of manufactured parts: what came back, the failure the customer reported, when the analysis started and finished, the finding, the root cause or 8D ref, the disposition and when the report went back. The file shows analyses past due and gaps worth a check.

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Own structure and wording. Tested in LibreOffice. Advisory only.

The complaint log follows the complaint; this log follows the parts

The customer complaint log records the complaint and its response. This file records what happened to the parts that came back: analysis, finding and disposition. It is for manufactured parts, not retail returns, and says nothing about warranty or what the customer decides.

What is in the file

  • Settings: an as-of date (blank means today), and working days from receipt to analysis done (10 working days is our own default, not from a standard; set your own).
  • Log: RMA ref, customer, part no, qty returned, date received, customer complaint ref, failure reported, analysis started, analysis done, finding (Confirmed defect, No trouble found, Damage in transit, Wrong part returned, Other), root cause or 8D ref, disposition (Scrap, Rework, Return to customer, Keep for reference, Return to supplier), report sent to customer, analysed by.
  • 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), qty returned, and rows per finding. No score and no ranking.

How the status is worked out

In this order; the first match wins. A row only reads Closed when every step before it is filled:

StatusWhen
Enter RMA refThe row has an entry but no RMA ref. It still counts.
Enter customerCustomer is blank.
Enter part noPart no is blank.
Enter qty returnedQty returned is blank.
Enter date receivedDate received is blank.
Enter failure reportedFailure reported is blank.
Analysis past dueNo analysis done date and no finding, and the as-of date is after the analysis due date.
Waiting for analysisAnalysis not started.
In analysisAnalysis started, not done.
Enter analysis done dateFinding is filled, analysis done date is blank.
Enter findingAnalysis done date is filled, finding is blank.
Confirmed defect, 8D ref blankFinding is Confirmed defect, root cause or 8D ref is blank.
Enter dispositionDisposition is blank.
Enter analysed byAnalysed by is blank.
Enter report sent dateReport sent to customer is blank.
Enter analysis started dateEverything else is filled, analysis started is blank.
ClosedEvery step above is filled.

Check column notes, each followed by "worth a check", on any row whatever its status:

  • Analysis past due, not done
  • Analysis done after the due date
  • Analysis started before the date received
  • Analysis done before it started
  • Date received after the as-of date
  • Analysis done date after the as-of date
  • Report sent before analysis done, or with the done date blank
  • No trouble found
  • Customer complaint ref blank (ignore if not applicable)
  • Qty returned not above 0
  • Confirmed defect returned to customer
  • Analysis done, start date blank

So a row still waiting for its RMA ref shows in the check column when its analysis is past due. The customer complaint ref note is expected for a return with no complaint behind it; leave the ref blank and read past it.

Example (fictional)

Made-up customers and parts, extract, as of Thursday 22 October 2026, Settings 10 working days to analyse:

RMA refDate receivedCustomerFailure reportedAnalysis doneFindingStatusCheck
RMA-01Mon 28 Sep 2026Alfa AutoLeak at sealThu 8 Oct 2026Confirmed defectClosed
RMA-02Thu 1 Oct 2026Beta MotorsNoise when runningAnalysis past dueAnalysis past due, not done: worth a check
RMA-03Mon 12 Oct 2026Alfa AutoCrack at flangeIn analysis
RMA-04Wed 7 Oct 2026Gamma TrucksDoes not switchWed 14 Oct 2026No trouble foundClosedNo trouble found: worth a check
RMA-05Mon 5 Oct 2026Beta MotorsScratch on faceFri 9 Oct 2026Confirmed defectConfirmed defect, 8D ref blank
Wed 14 Oct 2026Alfa AutoLeak at sealEnter RMA ref
RMA-07Fri 16 Oct 2026Delta RailWrong lengthWed 21 Oct 2026Wrong part returnedEnter report sent date
RMA-08Fri 2 Oct 2026Gamma TrucksCorrosionTue 20 Oct 2026Damage in transitEnter analysed byAnalysis done after the due date: worth a check
RMA-09Tue 20 Oct 2026Delta RailNo outputWaiting for analysisCustomer complaint ref blank (ignore if not applicable): worth a check
RMA-10Tue 13 Oct 2026Alfa AutoCrack at flangeMon 19 Oct 2026Enter finding

Worth a check each week

  • Analyses past due (marked in red), and any row whose check column says past due.
  • Confirmed defects with no root cause or 8D ref.
  • No trouble found rows: did the test match the failure the customer reported?

When the defect is confirmed

Start or link an 8D report, and log scrapped or reworked parts on the scrap and rework log.

Related

Advisory template, in English. Not a customer decision.