👔 Manager Checklist: ISO 9001
For: the CEO / Business Owner · Your job is to make decisions, sign documents, and answer your team member's questions. You do not need to know ISO, just follow this list.
1
Understand What You Are Committing To
Understand what ISO 9001 means for [Company Name]
ISO 9001 is a certificate that proves [Company Name] has a proper quality system in place. It means you have documented how your business works, you measure your performance, and you fix problems when they happen. It is recognised internationally and opens doors to larger clients and government contracts.
Assign one person to execute this checklist, your [Executor Name]
This person will do the day-to-day work of collecting documents, filling forms, and organising everything. They will have their own checklist. Your job is to be available when they ask you a question, usually 15–30 minutes per week.
💬 Tell your executor this
I am assigning you to manage our ISO 9001 certification. You have your own checklist. Follow it step by step. When you are stuck, come to me with a specific question. I will answer and you move forward.
Confirm the scope, what exactly is being certified at [Company Name]
Read the scope statement below carefully. This sentence will appear on your ISO 9001 certificate. Edit it in the Company Details box at the top of this page if anything is wrong.
Your ISO 9001 Scope Statement
[Your scope will appear here once you fill in the Company Details above]
This is correct. I am happy with this scope
Check your Udyam MSME registration is active
If [Company Name] is registered on udyamregistration.gov.in, you can claim 50–70% reimbursement of certification costs from the Government of India after you get certified. If not registered, register now before spending any money on ISO.
step 1 done, move to step 2
2
Sign the Quality Policy
Review the Quality Policy document your executor has prepared
Your executor will bring you a printed document on [Company Name] letterhead. Read it fully. The policy must say: you are committed to quality, you will improve continuously, and your team will follow this policy. If anything is wrong, tell your executor what to change.
Sign and date the Quality Policy with a real pen
Use a pen, not a typed signature. Write today's date next to your signature. Hand it back to [Executor Name] to scan and file.
Communicate the policy to your whole team
Send the signed policy to every employee. WhatsApp is fine. The message must be clear: "This is our official Quality Policy. Please read it." Save the message as proof.
step 2 done, move to step 3
3
Review and Approve the Risk Register
Sit with [Executor Name] for 1 hour to go through the risk list
Your executor will read each risk out loud. Your job is to say: does this risk apply to [Company Name]? If yes, rate it. If no, say skip. You do not need to know ISO to do this. You just need to know your business.
Sign off the completed Risk Register
Once your executor has filled in all the scores, review the final version. Sign and date it at the bottom. This becomes an official document. It must be reviewed again every 6 months.
step 3 done, move to step 4
4
Set Quality Objectives (Your KPIs)
Decide measurable targets for [Company Name]
ISO 9001 requires you to have real, measurable quality targets, not vague ones like "improve quality." You need specific numbers you can prove. Fill in the targets below:
Start recording these KPIs every month from today
The auditor will ask to see 3 months of actual data. You cannot show targets without data. Tell [Executor Name] to record these numbers every month in a simple spreadsheet or in Clicarity.
step 4 done, move to step 5
5
Review and Approve the 10 SOPs
Answer all questions from [Executor Name] while they write the SOPs
Your executor will come to you with specific questions for each SOP, how does onboarding work, how do we handle complaints, etc. Answer clearly. The more detail you give, the better the SOP.
Review each completed SOP, does it match what actually happens at [Company Name]?
Read each SOP. If it says something that does not match reality, correct it. The auditor will check whether your documented procedures match your actual practice. Do not approve a SOP that is aspirational, only what actually happens today.
Initial and date each approved SOP
Write your initials and the date on each SOP page. This is your formal approval. If a SOP needs changes, send it back to [Executor Name] with notes.
step 5 done, move to step 6
6
Sit for the Internal Audit
Block a full day in your calendar for the internal audit
The internal audit is a rehearsal for the real certification audit. Your executor will ask you 25 questions. For each one you must show proof, a document, a screenshot, a record. If you cannot show proof, that item fails and must be fixed before the real audit.
Fix every failed item (NC) from the audit, assign each one a due date
Every item marked NC must be corrected before you contact a Certification Body. Write down what needs to be done, who will do it, and by when. [Executor Name] tracks this list.
step 6 done, move to step 7
7
Chair the Management Review Meeting
Book a 2-hour meeting and go through all 12 agenda items
The Management Review is a formal meeting, not a casual chat. [Executor Name] will have the printed agenda. You go through each item, make decisions, and assign actions. This meeting must happen at least once a year.
Sign the meeting minutes after [Executor Name] types them up
Review the typed minutes within 2 days of the meeting. If they are accurate, sign and date them. This is a required document. The auditor will ask to see it.
step 7 done, final step
8
Choose the Certification Body and Book the Audit
Review the 3 quotes [Executor Name] has collected from Certification Bodies
Your executor will bring you 3 quotes. Compare them on: total Year 1 cost, annual surveillance cost, NABCB accreditation status, and estimated timeline. All NABCB-accredited certificates carry equal weight, the cheapest accredited option is perfectly valid.
Apply for MSME subsidy after certification is received
With your Udyam certificate and ISO certificate in hand, apply to your state's District Industries Centre (DIC) for reimbursement under the MSME Technology Upgradation Scheme. [Company Name] can recover 50–70% of what was spent.
✏️ Executor Checklist: ISO 9001
For: the team member doing the work · You do not need to know ISO. Just follow this list one step at a time. The orange boxes tell you exactly what to ask. The blue boxes tell you exactly where to find things.
1
Set Up Your Google Drive Folder
Open Google Drive · go to drive.google.com
Log in with the [Company Name] Google account. If you don't have the login details, ask [CEO Name].
💬 Ask [CEO Name] if needed
Can you give me the login for the company Google account? I need to set up the ISO folder.
Create a new folder called exactly: ISO 9001, [Company Name]
Click the big + New button on the left → click Folder → type the name exactly → click Create.
Share this folder with [CEO Name] as Editor
Right-click the folder → Share → type their email → set permission to Editor → click Send.
Create these 8 sub-folders inside your ISO folder, copy the names exactly
Open the ISO folder. Create one folder for each name below.
step 1 done, move to step 2
2
Prepare the Quality Policy for Signing
Open a new Word or Google Doc · Type the Quality Policy
Copy the text from the green box below exactly. Replace every [Company Name] with [Company Name]. Add the company logo at the top if you have it.
Print the Quality Policy · Take it to [CEO Name] to sign
Print one copy. Hand it to [CEO Name]. Wait while they sign it with a real pen and write today's date.
💬 What to say to [CEO Name]
This is our Quality Policy for ISO 9001. I need your pen signature on the bottom line and today's date next to it. I will scan it after.
Scan the signed policy or take a very clear photo · Save as PDF
The full page must be visible. The signature must be clear. Nothing cut off. Save the file as: Quality-Policy-Signed.pdf · Upload to folder 1. Quality Policy.
Send the signed policy to every employee on WhatsApp · Save the screenshot
Share the PDF in the team group. Write: "This is our official Quality Policy. Please read it." Take a screenshot of the sent message. Save it in folder 1. Quality Policy as: Policy-Shared-Proof.jpg
step 2 done, move to step 3
3
Fill In the Risk Register With [CEO Name]
Create a new document called Risk-Register-v1 · Make a table with 5 columns
Open Word or Google Docs. Insert a table. The 5 column headings are exactly: Risk Description | L (1–5) | I (1–5) | Score | What we do about it
Ask [CEO Name] to sit with you · Go through the risks together
Read each risk below out loud. [CEO Name] tells you the L number and the I number. You write them in the table. Then multiply them together to get the Score.
💬 Ask [CEO Name] before you start
Can we sit for 45 minutes? I will read each risk out loud. You give me a number from 1 to 5 for how likely it is, and a number from 1 to 5 for how bad it would be. I will write it all down. That is all I need from you for this step.
Save the completed Risk Register · Ask [CEO Name] to sign the bottom
Save as: Risk-Register-v1.docx · Upload to folder 2. Risk Register. Then print it, get a signature, scan, and save the signed version too.
step 3 done, move to step 4
4
Record the Quality Objectives and KPIs
Ask [CEO Name] for the quality targets · Write them in a table
Create a table with 5 columns: Objective | Target | How we measure it | How often | Who checks it. Fill one row for each target [CEO Name] gives you.
💬 Ask [CEO Name] for these numbers
I need your quality targets for our ISO documents. What is our target for on-time delivery? Customer complaint response time? Defect rate? Customer satisfaction score? I will write them all down and make the objectives table.
Start a monthly KPI tracking sheet from today
Create a simple spreadsheet. Every month, record the actual numbers for each target. The auditor will ask for 3 months of data. If you have no data, you fail the audit. Start recording now even if the numbers are not perfect.
Save everything in folder 3. Objectives and KPIs
File 1: Objectives-Table-v1.docx, the targets table. File 2: KPI-Tracking.xlsx, the monthly data sheet. Add to this sheet every month.
step 4 done, move to step 5
5
Write the 10 Procedure Documents (SOPs)
Understand what an SOP is before you start
SOP = Standard Operating Procedure. It is a simple 1-page document that explains how [Company Name] does something. You write it in numbered steps. Use simple words. Write what actually happens, not what you wish happened.
SOP 1. How a new customer is onboarded · Save as SOP-01-Onboarding.docx
Write what happens from the moment someone places an order or signs up, to the moment they are fully set up and receiving your product or service. Who does what? In what order? How long does each step take?
💬 Ask [CEO Name] before writing SOP 1
Can you walk me through our customer onboarding process step by step, from when they sign up to when they are fully set up? I will write it down as you talk.
SOP 2. How we handle a customer complaint · Save as SOP-02-Complaints.docx
A customer is unhappy or has a problem. Write what happens next. Who receives the complaint? Who responds? By when? How do we fix it? How do we confirm the customer is satisfied?
💬 Ask [CEO Name] before writing SOP 2
How do we handle a customer complaint today? Who gets it first? What are the steps to resolve it? By when must we respond?
SOP 3. How we produce our main product or deliver our main service · Save as SOP-03-Production.docx
Write the core steps of what [Company Name] does every day to deliver its product or service. Stage by stage, from raw material or order received to finished and delivered.
SOP 4. How we check quality before delivering to the customer · Save as SOP-04-QC.docx
What checks happen before something leaves the building or is delivered to the customer? Who checks it? What are they looking for? What happens if something fails the check?
💬 Ask [CEO Name] before writing SOP 4
What quality checks do we do before we send something to a customer? Who is responsible for checking and what exactly do they check?
SOP 5. How we manage our suppliers and vendors · Save as SOP-05-Suppliers.docx
Who are our main suppliers? How do we choose them? How do we check if they are performing well? What do we do if a supplier lets us down?
SOP 6. How a new employee is trained · Save as SOP-06-Training.docx
When someone new joins [Company Name], what training do they receive? Who trains them? How long does it take? How do we know they are ready to work independently?
SOP 7. How we manage documents and records · Save as SOP-07-Documents.docx
Write that all ISO documents have a version number. When something changes, a new version is created. Old versions are kept but labelled OLD. Only [Executor Name] is responsible for filing ISO documents in the correct folders.
SOP 8. What we do when something goes wrong (Nonconformity) · Save as SOP-08-Nonconformity.docx
Something did not go as planned, a mistake, a defect, a customer complaint. Write: who logs it, how it is investigated, what action is taken to fix it, and how we make sure it does not happen again.
SOP 9. How we review our suppliers every year · Save as SOP-09-SupplierReview.docx
Write that once a year, [CEO Name] reviews each key supplier, was their quality good, did they deliver on time, should we continue using them. The result is recorded and kept on file.
SOP 10. How the internal audit is run · Save as SOP-10-Audit.docx
Write that [Company Name] runs an internal audit once a year. One person checks another person's work. Findings are written down. Problems (NCs) are fixed with a deadline. A report is saved.
Ask [CEO Name] to read and initial every SOP · Save all 10 into folder 4. Processes and SOPs
Print each SOP. [CEO Name] reads and initials the bottom of each page. Scan each one. All 10 signed SOPs go in folder 4.
step 5 done, move to step 6
6
Collect Training Records for All Staff
Create a Training Record sheet for every employee at [Company Name]
For each person, record: their name, their role, what training they have received, the date of training, and who trained them. This can be a simple table in Word or Excel.
Save as Training-Records-v1.docx · Upload to folder 5. Training Records
Get each employee to sign next to their own record. This is proof the training happened.
step 6 done, move to step 7
7
Run the Internal Audit
Print the audit checklist below · Book a full day with [CEO Name]
The audit is a check, can we prove that everything in our ISO system is actually happening? You ask the questions. [CEO Name] shows proof. You write the result.
💬 Ask [CEO Name] to book this day
I need a full day with you for our ISO internal audit. I will ask you 14 questions. For each one you need to show me proof, a document, a photo, a record. It takes about 6–7 hours. Can we book a date?
List every NC item · Fix every one before moving to Step 8
Make a simple list: NC item, what needs to be done, who does it, by when. Do not move to Step 8 until every NC is fixed and rechecked.
💬 Ask [CEO Name] about each NC
I found these items that are not yet done: [list them]. Can you tell me what action to take for each one and who will do it?
Write the Internal Audit Report · Save in folder 6. Internal Audit
One document with: date of audit, who conducted it, list of all questions with C/NC/OFI ratings, and a summary of what was fixed. Name it: Internal-Audit-Report-v1.docx
step 7 done, move to step 8
8
Write the Management Review Minutes
Book a 2-hour meeting with [CEO Name] · Print the 12-item agenda below
This is a formal meeting. You print the agenda, attend, and write notes. [CEO Name] answers the questions. You write what they say in the notes column.
💬 Ask [CEO Name] to book this meeting
I need 2 hours with you for the ISO Management Review meeting. I will print a 12-question agenda. You answer each one. I write the notes. We need the signed minutes before we can contact the Certification Body.
Type up the meeting notes as a minutes document · Get [CEO Name] to sign
Type your handwritten notes into a Word doc. Add at the top: meeting date, attendees, location. At the bottom: a signature line for [CEO Name]. Print. Get signed. Scan. Save as: Management-Review-Minutes-v1.docx in folder 7. Management Review.
step 8 done, final step
✓
Contact the Certification Body
Check all 8 Google Drive folders, every folder must have at least one file
Open each folder one by one. If any is empty, go back and complete that step first. Do not send any emails until every folder has documents in it.
Show [CEO Name] all 8 folders are complete · Get their go-ahead to contact CBs
Do not contact a Certification Body without [CEO Name]'s confirmation. They need to make the final decision on which CB to use and approve the budget.
Send this email to 3 Certification Bodies · Ask for a quote
Copy the email below exactly. Send it to all 3 email addresses. Do not change the subject line. Wait for replies, usually 2–3 business days.
💬 Ask [CEO Name] to check before sending
I have written the emails to the 3 Certification Bodies. Can you check my draft for 2 minutes before I send?
Save all 3 quote replies in folder 8. Certification Body · Show all quotes to [CEO Name]
Name them: Quote-BureauVeritas.pdf · Quote-SGS.pdf · Quote-DNV.pdf. [CEO Name] decides which one to use. That is not your decision.