Supplier non-conformance report template

Record a delivery or part that does not meet the specification, and get a corrective action from the supplier.

How to use itRaise it when incoming goods fail inspection. Send it to the supplier, agree the disposition and track their corrective action until closed.

Who raises itReceiving inspector, buyer or quality lead
WhenAs soon as incoming goods fail inspection
Time needed30 minutes to raise; closing takes the supplier’s fix
Keep itSupplier file, linked to the purchase order

When you need the supplier non-conformance report

When a supplier delivers something wrong, the cost lands on you: delays, rework and sometimes a customer complaint. A written report makes the problem specific and measurable.

Track reports by supplier over time. Repeated issues are a reason for a supplier review.

15 items. Use it on screen, or print it and fill it in by hand.

Identification

Report number and date.
Supplier name and contact.
Purchase order and line.
Part or product, lot or batch.

Non-conformance

Requirement or specification.
What was found.
Quantity received and quantity affected.
Photos or test results attached.

Containment and disposition

Affected stock quarantined.
Disposition: return, rework, use as is with approval, scrap.
Cost impact.

Supplier response

Root cause from supplier.
Corrective action and date.
Verification of effectiveness.
Closed by and date.

Using the supplier non-conformance report well

Inspect incoming goods against the purchase order.
Quarantine anything suspect.
Send the report promptly.
Agree a response deadline.
Review supplier performance quarterly.

A real-world example

A shop receives 500 brackets; 60 have holes drilled in the wrong position. The 60 are quarantined, the supplier is sent a report with photos, replaces the parts within a week and adds a fixture check to their process.

What the supplier non-conformance report protects you from

Quality systems like ISO 9001 expect nonconforming products to be identified, controlled and followed up with corrective action. A written report also supports cost recovery from the supplier and shows patterns when a supplier repeats the same defect.

A filled-in supplier non-conformance report

Report	NCR-2026-041, Nov 18
Receiving shop	Apex Machining, Wichita KS
Supplier and PO	Midwest Castings, PO 7712, line 2
Part and lot	Pump housing PH-220, lot 1036
Finding	Bore diameter 0.004 in over max on 24 of 200
Disposition	24 returned; 176 accepted after 100% check
Corrective action	Tool wear check added; due Dec 5, verify next 3 lots

The shop checked every remaining part before accepting the rest of the lot, so the disposition is based on measurement, not a sample. Verification is tied to the next three lots so the report closes on evidence.

Mistakes with the supplier non-conformance report

Sending a report that says ‘parts bad’. Quote the drawing dimension or spec line that was missed and the value you measured.
Accepting ‘operator error’ as the root cause. Ask what the supplier will change in the process so a different operator cannot repeat it.
Closing the report when replacement parts arrive. Close it only after the next few deliveries show the fix worked.

Edits most teams make to the supplier non-conformance report

Food and ingredient buyersAdd lot codes, certificates of analysis and storage temperature on arrival, since traceability matters for recalls.

Small job shopsKeep it to one page and agree a phone call with the supplier first; the form then records what was agreed.

Quick winAsk the supplier to send their own inspection record with the next shipment. It shows whether their check now catches the problem before it ships.

Questions about the supplier non-conformance report

What is a non-conformance?

A product or service that does not meet its requirements.

Who should raise it?

Receiving inspection or quality.

Should I charge the supplier?

Your contract decides.

What if it repeats?

Escalate to a supplier review.

What is the difference between containment and corrective action in a supplier NCR?

Containment is the immediate step to stop bad parts from being used, like quarantining stock and checking parts already on the line. Corrective action is the supplier’s fix to the root cause so the problem does not come back. A report should record both, and it stays open until the corrective action is shown to work.

What does use as is mean on a non-conformance report?

Use as is means the nonconforming material will be used without rework, because an engineer or the customer has decided it still works for its purpose. It needs a documented approval with the reason, and in some industries the customer must sign off. It should be rare and never the default.

Useful next reads

More for the same job

Know who worked when

Use the supplier non-conformance report for the record you need today. To see who clocked in, and when, book a demo of EZTime.

Book a demo Start a trial

General information to adapt to your business. Examples on this page are fictional.