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Internal audit · Guide · Free to read

Internal audit plan and report: what to put in them

A short guide in our own words. The plan says which processes you audit, when and by whom. The report says what was seen, what was found and what happens next.

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The plan: one line per process

Keep the plan to a simple table that covers the year. Each line is one process or area, so you can see gaps at a glance.

  • Process or area: use the same names as your process map, so nothing is left out or counted twice.
  • Type of audit: for example a process audit, a product audit or a check of one procedure.
  • Planned month: worth a check: do processes with recent complaints, changes or findings come up sooner?
  • Auditor: worth a check: does anyone audit their own work?
  • Done on and report reference: so the plan also shows what really happened, not only what was planned.

When an audit moves, change the month and add a short note why. A plan that is never updated says less than one that shows its changes.

The report: what was seen and what was found

  • Scope and date: which process, which shift or line, and the day of the audit.
  • Who took part: the auditor and the people interviewed, by role.
  • What was looked at: the documents, records and parts you actually saw. This is the evidence behind each finding.
  • Findings: one per line, each with a type in your own terms (for example: nonconformity, observation, positive).
  • Next step per finding: owner, due date and the reference of the corrective action.

Weak vs strong: wording a finding

Fictional examples from a made-up machining supplier:

WeakStrong
Training not OK.Two of the five operators on line 3 had no record of a competence check for the leak test. Records seen: training record sheet, line 3, on Wednesday 14 October 2026.
Control plan out of date.The control plan for part 4410 lists a gauge that was replaced in September. The work instruction at the station names the new gauge.
Good housekeeping.Positive: boundary samples at final check were labelled with part number and revision date.

A strong finding says what was seen, where, and against which document. Someone who was not at the audit can check it again.

From finding to corrective action

Give each nonconformity a corrective action reference and track it in the same place as your other actions. For larger findings, the CAPA form template holds the cause and the action. Later, check whether the action worked: CAPA effectiveness check.

Worth a check before you close the year: does every planned line have a done date or a note, and does every nonconformity have an action reference?

Your own procedure, your certification body and your customers decide what your internal audits must cover. This guide does not replace them.

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Related

Advisory guide, in English. Not a customer decision.