Corrective and Preventive Action. The term is common in regulated industries; ISO management system standards today speak of nonconformity and corrective action.

Does every nonconformity need a corrective action?

The need has to be evaluated. If eliminating the cause is necessary so the problem does not recur or occur elsewhere, a corrective action is implemented.

What do I need to document?

The nature of the nonconformity, the actions taken and the results of the corrective actions must be retained. In IMScheck this record builds up as the item progresses.

Deutsche Version

Corrective action – fix causes, not symptoms

When something does not go as required, ISO standards ask for more than a quick fix: the cause has to be determined and eliminated so the problem does not recur – and the effectiveness has to be reviewed.

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How IMScheck supports your corrective actions

Record nonconformities from audits, incidents, customer feedback or monitoring as actions.
Assess, plan, implement – with owner, priority and deadline.
Closed only after an effectiveness check, as clause 10 requires.
The origin stays traceable: actions are linked to the audit collection and finding.
A complete audit trail as evidence for your auditor.

Correction, corrective action, prevention

A correction fixes the failure itself, for example by rework. A corrective action eliminates its cause. Preventive action as a separate term has been absorbed into risk-based thinking in the current standards.

Required: react to the nonconformity, evaluate causes, implement actions, review effectiveness, update risks and opportunities if needed – and document all of it.

Finding root causes

Proven methods are the 5 Whys and the Ishikawa (fishbone) diagram. What matters is addressing the actual cause, not the symptom.

Corrective actions with IMScheck

Nonconformities from audits, incidents or complaints are recorded as improvement items – with source, affected standards and priority.

Root-cause analysis, action, owner and due date in one place; evidence as a document or link.

Items are closed only after the effectiveness review – otherwise they stay open. Every change is recorded.

Frequently asked questions

What does CAPA mean?: Corrective and Preventive Action. The term is common in regulated industries; ISO management system standards today speak of nonconformity and corrective action.
Does every nonconformity need a corrective action?: The need has to be evaluated. If eliminating the cause is necessary so the problem does not recur or occur elsewhere, a corrective action is implemented.
What do I need to document?: The nature of the nonconformity, the actions taken and the results of the corrective actions must be retained. In IMScheck this record builds up as the item progresses.