Supplier Site Visit Checklist
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About this supplier visit checklist
A supplier site visit checklist keeps your visit focused on evidence, not assumptions. When you’re on site, it’s easy to get pulled into a tour and leave with a “good feeling” — but no real proof that quality, capacity, and controls are where they need to be. This checklist gives operations teams a practical structure for preparation, in-process checks, escalation criteria, and close-out actions.
What this supplier site visit checklist covers
Use it to verify the basics that protect performance day to day:
- Preparation: objectives, performance review, documents, agenda, and sampling plan
- On-site checks: safety, process controls, training, maintenance, traceability, and change control
- Quality evidence: in-process checks, final release, nonconformance handling, and defect trends
- Delivery and logistics: dispatch discipline, packaging, documentation accuracy, and lead-time constraints
- Escalation criteria: when to pause, contain risk, and notify stakeholders
- Close-out: actions with owners and due dates, evidence capture, and follow-up plan
When to use it
This checklist is most useful when the cost of guesswork is high — for example:
- Onboarding a new supplier or approving a new site
- Following repeated quality issues, complaints, or returns
- Before a peak period where supply disruption would hit service levels
- After a change in materials, equipment, process, or key personnel
- As part of a planned audit cycle for critical or high-risk suppliers
How to run a supplier site visit without missing the important stuff
Start with outcomes. Be clear on what you need to know by the end of the visit (for example: “Can they meet demand without compromising quality?”).
Follow the work. Don’t just review documents in a meeting room. Walk the process from goods-in to dispatch and spot-check records against what you see.
Look for controls, not heroics. A good supplier doesn’t rely on one experienced person noticing problems. They prevent errors with clear instructions, training, maintenance, traceability, and change control.
Escalate early. If you see safety risk, uncontrolled quality risk, or credible supply risk, pause and escalate. A quick escalation beats a slow incident.
Common pitfalls this checklist prevents
- “We had a great tour” — but no evidence that the documented process matches reality
- Actions agreed verbally, then lost after the visit
- Traceability gaps that only show up during a recall or customer complaint
- Overdue calibration or maintenance on equipment that affects quality
- Capacity confidence based on opinions, not constraints and data
Make supplier visits measurable with Ocasta
Paper checklists and scattered notes make it hard to spot patterns across suppliers and sites. Ocasta replaces guesswork with a consistent way to run site visits, capture evidence, assign actions, and track follow-up — so you can see what’s working and fix what isn’t.
Disclaimer: This checklist is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, health and safety, or professional advice. You are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable laws, standards, and internal policies.
Included questions
Here's what's included in this supplier visit checklist:
Visit details and scope (6)
Confirm why you’re visiting, what ‘good’ looks like, and who needs to be involved — before you arrive on site.
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Text
What is the visit date and planned time on site?
Include start and end time, and the supplier site address.
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Text
Supplier name and site location
Add the legal entity (if known) and the specific site you’re visiting.
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Text
Supplier primary contact (name, role, phone)
Who will meet you on arrival and who can approve actions during the visit?
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Person
Visit owner
Who is accountable for the visit outcomes and follow-up actions?
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Yes/No
Are the visit objectives and success criteria documented?
Examples: reduce defects, improve on-time delivery, validate capacity, confirm process controls.
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Dropdown
Supplier risk level for this visit
Use your internal classification if you have one.
Pre-visit preparation checks (7)
Reduce surprises by reviewing performance, paperwork, and practicalities before you travel.
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Yes/No
Have you reviewed the last 3–6 months of supplier performance?
Include delivery performance, quality issues, returns, complaints, and any downtime linked to supply.
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Yes/No
Are open issues and corrective actions listed and prioritised?
Bring a clear list of what must be closed, what can wait, and what needs escalation.
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Yes/No
Have key documents been requested in advance?
Examples: certificates, process flow, control plan, inspection records, training matrix, maintenance logs.
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Yes/No
Are NDA, access requirements, and site rules confirmed?
Include PPE, photography rules, restricted areas, and induction requirements.
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Yes/No
Has the agenda been shared with the supplier?
Include start time, tour, interviews, document review, and close-out meeting.
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Yes/No
Are internal stakeholders aligned on what you need from the visit?
Examples: operations, quality, procurement, engineering, compliance.
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Yes/No
Is a sampling plan defined for checks on site?
Decide what you’ll sample (batches, orders, lines, shifts) so the visit stays evidence-led.
On arrival and safety (4)
Get the basics right: induction, safety, and clarity on who does what.
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Yes/No
Have you completed site induction and signed in?
Confirm emergency exits, muster points, and any high-risk areas.
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Yes/No
Is the correct PPE available and worn correctly?
If PPE is missing or unsuitable, pause the visit until resolved.
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Text
Any immediate safety concerns observed?
Record what you saw, where, and who you informed.
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Yes/No
Have the visit objectives and agenda been reconfirmed with the supplier?
Make sure the supplier understands what evidence you’ll need to see.
Process and operational controls (in-process checks) (8)
Verify the work happens the way it’s meant to — consistently, safely, and with controls that prevent errors.
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Yes/No
Does the documented process flow match what happens on the floor?
If the real process differs, note the gap and ask what has changed and why.
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Yes/No
Are critical steps clearly identified and controlled?
Look for error-proofing, approvals, sign-offs, and clear work instructions at point of use.
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Yes/No
Are current work instructions accessible and being followed?
Check version control and whether teams can find the right instruction quickly.
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Yes/No
Is training and competency evidenced for the roles you observed?
Ask how new starters are trained and how competence is refreshed over time.
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Yes/No
Are equipment maintenance and calibration controls in place and up to date?
Spot-check logs for due dates, overdue items, and evidence of action.
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Yes/No
Is material traceability in place from receipt to dispatch?
Confirm batch/lot control, labelling, and segregation of nonconforming material.
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Yes/No
Is there a clear change control process for people, process, and materials?
Ask how changes are approved, communicated, and validated before release.
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Dropdown
Capacity and resourcing status
Based on what you saw today, how confident are you in their ability to meet demand?
Quality checks and evidence (6)
Confirm quality is controlled by process — not inspected in at the end.
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Yes/No
Are incoming goods checks defined and evidenced?
Look for clear criteria, sampling, and what happens when goods fail checks.
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Yes/No
Are in-process checks completed at the right points and recorded?
Spot-check records against the work you observed.
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Yes/No
Are final inspection and release controls clear and consistently applied?
Confirm who can release product and what evidence is required.
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Yes/No
Is nonconforming product clearly identified, contained, and dispositioned?
Check segregation, labelling, and rework/repair approvals.
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Yes/No
Are defect trends tracked and reviewed with actions?
Look for a simple view of top defects, root causes, and owners with dates.
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Yes/No
Is customer complaint handling structured and timely?
Ask for examples of recent complaints and how they were investigated and prevented from recurring.
Delivery, logistics, and documentation (5)
Check the ‘last mile’ of supplier performance: dispatch discipline, paperwork, and communication.
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Yes/No
Is the dispatch process controlled and traceable?
Confirm checks before dispatch, correct labelling, and how dispatch errors are prevented.
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Yes/No
Are packaging and handling standards defined and followed?
Check protection, labelling, and any special handling requirements.
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Yes/No
Has on-time delivery performance been discussed with evidence?
If performance is below target, confirm the top causes and agreed actions.
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Yes/No
Are lead times, constraints, and peak-period plans confirmed?
Ask what changes during peak demand and how they protect quality and delivery.
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Yes/No
Are shipping documents accurate and consistent with physical goods?
Spot-check labels, packing lists, certificates, and batch numbers.
Escalation criteria and immediate actions (5)
Know when to pause, escalate, or trigger containment — before issues become failures.
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Yes/No
Is there any safety risk that requires the visit to pause and be escalated immediately?
Examples: unsafe working practices, missing critical PPE, uncontrolled hazards.
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Yes/No
Is there evidence of uncontrolled quality risk requiring containment?
Examples: mixed lots, missing traceability, nonconforming product not segregated, out-of-date calibration on critical equipment.
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Yes/No
Is there a credible risk to supply (capacity, resourcing, or process instability)?
If yes, confirm who you escalated to and what the immediate mitigation is.
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Text
Immediate actions agreed today
List actions that must happen within 24–72 hours, with owners and deadlines.
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Yes/No
Have the right internal contacts been notified where escalation was triggered?
Examples: operations lead, quality lead, procurement, compliance.
Close-out and follow-up (7)
Turn the visit into outcomes: clear actions, owners, deadlines, and a record everyone can trust.
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Yes/No
Was a close-out meeting held with the supplier?
Summarise findings, confirm what’s agreed, and avoid surprises after the visit.
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Dropdown
Overall outcome of the visit
Choose the closest match to the supplier’s current state.
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Yes/No
Are all actions logged with owners and due dates?
If it isn’t owned and dated, it won’t happen.
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Yes/No
Has supporting evidence been captured and stored correctly?
Examples: photos (if allowed), document references, sample IDs, notes from interviews.
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Yes/No
Is a follow-up date set to verify completion of actions?
Decide whether this is a remote check-in, a document review, or a return visit.
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Yes/No
Has the visit report been shared with internal stakeholders?
Share the outcome, key risks, and the action plan in one place.
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Signature
Visit owner sign-off
Confirms the checklist is complete and actions are accurate.