A quality manual is required by ISO 9001 and must address the scope of the quality system, including:

• A description of the sequence and interaction of its processes

• Details of, and the justification for, any excluded requirements

• The documented procedures, or references to them

The typical content of a quality manual includes:

• Title Page: document title, organization, document number, revision level

• Table of Contents: sections, page numbers, revisions if separate sections

• Distribution List: manual recipients, possibly controlled copy numbers

• Amendment Record: change summary, nature of changes

• Introduction: purpose and structure of the manual

• Quality Policy: integral strategy, commitment, communication method

• Company Profile: history, background, product lines, locations

• Organization Chart: functional interrelationships

• Responsibilities: management responsibilities and authority

• Policies by Clause: policies for each requirement of the Standard

• Glossary: optional chapter on definitions and acronyms

• Appendix: cross-reference to clauses of Standard, if needed

The quality manual may be the reader's first impression of your system. You want it to convey your management commitment to quality and represent your organization well.

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