Factory and supplier audits are essential in industry to ensure quality and efficiency along the entire value chain. However, traditional methods are reaching their limits. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is opening up new possibilities for comprehensive 360-degree transparency.
The importance of factory and supplier audits in industry
A factory audit (or site audit) is a systematic review of the internal processes, production workflows and quality standards within a company. The aim is to ensure that operational processes comply with the applicable standards (e.g. ISO 9001), legal requirements and internal quality guidelines.
Supplier audits, on the other hand, are used to evaluate the processes and quality standards of external suppliers. These compare the supplier's current performance with the contractually agreed target based on an as-is analysis. By conducting a supplier audit, companies ensure that their suppliers comply with important standards, laws and other specific requirements.
Both types of audit are essential in industry to keep an eye on the entire supply chain and to demonstrate compliance with both internal and external standards. Furthermore, they help to identify potential risks at an early stage and to promote continuous improvement.
AI-supported DMS/QMS systems for efficient and transparent audits
Many companies still use Excel lists to carry out such audits. They manually document results, which is time-consuming, and define necessary measures to be taken before the next audit. Such an approach is inefficient because it makes it difficult to track measures; the overall status remains unclear; and isolated data makes it difficult to perform a comprehensive analysis.
To overcome these challenges, companies are increasingly turning to AI-supported document and quality management systems (DMS/QMS) such as Fabasoft Approve. Artificial intelligence facilitates the automated analysis of large amounts of data, identifies patterns and relationships, and ensures the seamless integration of relevant information. This makes audit processes more transparent, precise, and efficient.
The following three aspects show the specific advantages that AI-supported DMS/QMS systems offer for factory and supplier audits.
Significant time savings through automated data collection and analysis
During factory audits, AI helps to monitor production processes, analyze machine and sensor data in real time, and detect quality deviations at an early stage. This allows inefficient processes or defects to be addressed immediately. In the context of supplier audits, AI enables a comprehensive evaluation of supplier performance by analyzing delivery punctuality, product quality, and compliance data. It also allows for faster identification of patterns and recurring problems.
An AI-based DMS/QMS intelligently links this data, recognizes correlations, and provides a 360-degree view that makes audits more effective and well-founded.
Better overview through a 360-degree view
An AI-supported DMS/QMS links and analyzes relevant data from suppliers, including quality indicators, delivery reliability, and compliance standards, upcoming as well as ongoing audits, and presents them in a clear and concise manner using a so-called 360-degree view.
Illustration: 360-degree view of a specific supplier.
This holistic approach, which, among other things, includes audit reports, defect analyses, and key performance indicators, provides the responsible purchasers with a precise supplier rating at a glance.
Improved quality through automated preparation of factory and supplier audits
If questionnaires are available, e.g. as Excel spreadsheets, these can be filled out with the help of artificial intelligence. The existing data and documents in the DMS/QMS are used as a knowledge base.
The AI extracts questions from the Excel spreadsheet and transfers them to a questionnaire. Additional context documents can be provided to the AI to assist in answering the questions. This increases the level of detail of the answers.
Illustration: AI-generated answers in a factory audit.
AI for smarter factory and supplier audits
The use of AI-supported document and quality management systems (DMS/QMS) such as Fabasoft Approve is fundamentally transforming factory and supplier audits. By analyzing large amounts of data, recognizing patterns and intelligently linking relevant information, AI creates 360-degree transparency of quality and performance indicators. This enables rapid identification of deviations and continuous adherence to compliance requirements.
Audit management supported by AI in this way reduces manual effort, improves the traceability of measures and strengthens collaboration with suppliers. Companies that embrace this technology benefit from a forward-looking, agile quality assurance system and gain a decisive competitive advantage in an increasingly interconnected industry.
