It is a popular misconception that businesses must document absolutely everything they do in order to obtain ISO 9001 certification. Yes, there is a fair bit of documentation involved, but there's no reason to fear that your office will be buried under tonnes and tonnes of paperwork.

In fact, one of the objectives of ISO 9001:2015 - the most recent version of the ISO 9001 standard for quality management systems - was to streamline the amount and detail of documentation required.

Documents required for ISO 9001 certification

There are two sets of documents required for ISO 9001 certification.

The following mandatory documents are needed to obtain ISO 9001 certification and must be updated continuously:

• Scope of the quality management system (QMS)
• Quality policy
• Quality objectives

Additionally, the following records must be retained in order to prove that your QMS meets ISO 9001 requirements:

• Monitoring and measuring resources
• Records of staff training, qualifications, experience, etc.
• Product / service requirement review records
• Records of design and development inputs, controls, outputs and changes
• Characteristics of the product / service to be provided
• Customer property records
• Product / service provision change control records
• Product / service release
• Record of nonconforming outputs
• Monitoring and measurement results
• Results of internal audit
• Resilts of management review
• Results of corrective actions
• Criteria for evaluation and selection of suppliers

Different documents may be required if you are looking to achieve ISO 14001 or ISO 27001 certification. Contact ISO Accelerator for more information on these standards.

If you want to achieve ISO certification as quickly as possible, ISO Accelerator can help. Our online certification service eliminates the need for site visits and face-to-face consultations, helping you to save time and cut costs.

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A quality manual is a document that describes the intent of an organisation's quality management system and how it operates.

There is a certain amount of debate surrounding quality manuals, what exactly they are, and whether a quality manual is required for ISO 9001 certification.

Many people confuse the term 'quality manual' with a quality management system (QMS). This is understandable, because in the past...

• The ISO 9001 standard talked about a quality manual
  
  
• Companies would often keep a large folder containing master copies of their quality procedures, policies, forms, etc. This was sometimes known as the 'quality manual'.

Today, some in the certification industry see quality manuals as unnecessary.

Does ISO 9001 require a quality manual?

The answer to this question varies on a case-to-case basis. If you are interested in obtaining ISO 9001 certification, whether or not you need a quality manual depends on the format and structure of your QMS.

Here at ISO Accelerator, we regularly help businesses to implement effective quality management systems. As part of each QMS, we do also provide clients with a digital quality manual.

However, this quality manual does not itself contain copies of quality procedures, policies, forms, and so on - instead, these are supplied as part of the complete quality management system. The quality manual is simply a document that describes the intent of the QMS and how it operates.

Developing a quality management system

ISO Accelerator offers a comprehensive ISO 9001 certification service. We will work with you remotely, helping you to develop a quality management system and put it into practice.

Once your QMS has been properly implemented, a remote audit will be conducted to confirm that you are meeting the requirements of your quality management system. You will then be awarded your ISO 9001 certificate.

As a bonus, you will be able to send clients and customers a digital copy of your quality manual to reassure them that you have processes in place to ensure a quality service.

How to Get Certified with ISO Accelerator >

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Implementing a quality management system (QMS) and achieving ISO 9001 certification is a great way to make your business more appealing to potential customers. This applies to businesses of all sizes - even if it's just you!

Regardless of whether your company has one hundred employees or just one, an ISO-compliant QMS will help you to work more efficiently, deliver better results, and win new business.

Here at ISO Accelerator, we can help sole traders, freelancers and other individuals to get ISO 9001 certified quickly.

Who can get certified with ISO Accelerator?

We offer a comprehensive set of services for individuals who...

• Need a QMS and ISO 9001 certification
• Already have a QMS in place and just need to get certified
• Are already certified, but want to reduce their certification costs

Learn more: How to Get Certified with ISO Accelerator

Any Questions? Contact ISO Accelerator Now!

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ISO 9001 isn't just for big organisations with lots of different departments. Small businesses can benefit from implementing a quality management system (QMS) and achieving ISO 9001 certification for small businesses.

Related: What Is ISO 9001?

If you run a small business (i.e. a business with fewer than 50 employees and a turnover under £10 million) then obtaining an ISO certification may seem like a daunting and expensive process. However, this is not always the case! Depending on your current systems, implementing a quality management system with an ISO 9001 certification can actually be rather inexpensive for small businesses and requires very little documentation and maintenance.

Benefits of ISO 9001 for Small Businesses

An ISO 9001 certification can benefit you and your small business in a number of ways. The key benefits of ISO 9001 for small businesses are:

• Better Work Efficiency

A quality management system that meets ISO certification standards will provide your staff with a common, logical system that will in turn help your business to achieve continuous improvement and reduce waste.

Once your QMS has been implemented, it will help to ensure that all of your work has the maximum possible impact as well as increasing your business' efficiency, productivity and cost savings.

• Happier Customers

More effective operations means happier customers! Implementing and adhering to an ISO 9001-compliant QMS will help your small business to deliver a better service to the people who keep your business running.

Plus, the ISO 9001 certification is recognised worldwide. This ISO certification builds trust in your company for any potential customers, by confirming that you have put in maximum effort to enhance your systems and meet your existing customers’ needs.

• Opening New Doors

By using a QMS to review and improve your business’ systems, you will be able to ensure a high level of effectiveness and customer satisfaction. This in turn will provide opportunities for orders and increased profitability.

After all, many businesses only work with ISO 9001 certified suppliers, so depending on what sector you're in, achieving this certification can enable you to take on a whole host of new clients. Essentially, an ISO 9001 certification for small businesses can be a tool for expansion and growth.

ISO Accelerator can help you to get certified quickly. Our remote ISO 9001 certification service is delivered entirely online, which means no time-consuming consultation sessions and no need for us to visit your premises. This a great way for small businesses to get ISO certified.

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Get Certified with ISO Accelerator

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ISO Accelerator recently became a member of the British Standards Institute (BSI).

We promised that BSI membership would enable us to pass on a variety of benefits to our customers, and we're pleased to announce that BSI are currently promoting a 20% discount on BS EN ISO 9001 - Quality Management Systems.

This discount is available until the end of July. Purchasing the ISO 9001:2015 standard is the first step to achieving ISO 9001 certification.

Read More: What is ISO 9001?

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