Verification of externally provided product (IATF only)
Plain-language summary
Purchased product conformity gets assured by a defined mix: receiving inspection, supplier data with verification, assessments/audits, certificate review — your choice, but documented and risk-matched.
What the clause is really asking
Use one or more of the listed methods (statistical receiving data, inspection/testing on sample, second/third-party assessments paired with conformance records, part evaluation by accredited lab, customer-agreed method) to confirm incoming product quality.
What auditors look for
Auditors ask which method applies to which supplier/part and why, then sample the records of that method actually operating.
Typical evidence
Documented incoming verification scheme per part/supplier; records of the selected method in use.
How to comply — recommendations
Map every purchased part class to its verification method in one table — the logic visible, the records routine. Skip-lot rules tied to scorecard status close the loop.
Common nonconformities
No defined method per part; certificates accepted unreviewed as the 'method'; lab tests by unaccredited labs.
Related clauses
Builds on ISO 9001 8.4.2/8.6; links IATF 7.1.5.3
In the book
Chapter 8 — Operation — Where the Product Is Won or Lost treats this clause family in full: what it is really asking, what auditors look for, the evidence that satisfies, how to make it work on a real floor, and where companies stumble. This IATF requirement is covered in the Automotive Edition, in the same six blocks as the ISO clause around it.
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Qlause provides interpretive guidance only and is not a substitute for the standard. Refer to your licensed copy of the relevant standard for the authoritative text.