All action plans have a similar structure, regardless of whether they are containment plans, correction plans, corrective action plans, or preventive action plans. An action plan has a life cycle that includes the following phases: 

1. Create the action plan. 

2. Approve the action plan (Optional. May be configured as required.) 

3. Execute the action plan.

4. Conduct action plan effectiveness checks. (Optional. May be configured as required.) 

5. Close the action plan.

A different team of people may be responsible for each phase of an action plan execution. A user or user group may be designated as the responsible party for each phase. Notifications are sent to the responsible user or group whenever a new phase of the non-conformance life cycle is initiated. You can also configure escalations to send additional notifications when a phase remains incomplete beyond a specified period (sent to all responsible users) plus any additional groups that the user configures to be included). 

You can configure an approval process on one or more phases of action plan. If desired, all phases of an action plan can have an approval process assigned. The approval process is initiated when the associated phase has been completed. You cannot proceed to the next phase of the action plan until the approval process is completed. 

The action plan itself is created by users. The structure will be a simple set of one or more tasks that are to be completed (tasks may be completed in any order). Each task may be assigned to a user or user group and due dates may be established for each task. Notifications are sent to assigned users when the overall action plan has been approved.  You can also configure escalations to send additional notifications when users don't complete their tasks in the allotted time (sent to assigned users and responsible users). 

Like the action plan itself, a list of tasks may also be assigned to the effectiveness checks phase of a non-conformance life cycle. These tasks serve as a checklist and function identically to the tasks of the execution phase. 

In cases where effectiveness checks determine that the corrective action is not effective, it may be necessary to cancel a corrective action plan before it concludes. Typically, a new corrective action plan will be established in its place, linked to the same root cause as the original one.

Marking action plan tasks complete 

Users can select the Non-Conformances button in the Advanced Features area of the Production client application to mark tasks assigned to them as completed in the Non-Conformances window. 

Attach a document to an action plan

Users can attach documents to an action plan and to individual tasks in the plan. Users can select the Non-Conformances button in the Advanced Features area of the Production client application to attach documents to action plans and individual tasks in the Non-Conformances window. 

Action plan override

There may be circumstances where root cause analysis determines that no corrective or preventive actions need be undertaken. In such cases, if corrective action plans are configured as mandatory, only a user assigned as a supervisor in the non-conformance template will be able to close out the non-conformance using a supervisory override function.