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Typical criteria
| Criterion | Measure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Incoming inspection reject rate, complaints | Incoming inspection, deviations |
| Delivery | Share of on-time deliveries | ERP |
| Responsiveness | Time to respond to complaints, quality of 8D reports | Deviation and CAPA handling |
| Evidence | Certificates, test reports, declarations of conformity | Supplier documents |
| Collaboration | Communication, behaviour towards your customers | Experience, customer feedback |
In 8.4.3, the 2026 edition adds that requirements for external providers may also cover their interactions with your customers and other relevant parties. See ISO 9001:2026 customers and external providers.
A simple approach
- 1
Classify suppliers
Evaluate critical suppliers, whose failure or errors directly affect customer quality, more thoroughly than non-critical ones.
- 2
Weight criteria
For example quality 50%, delivery 30%, collaboration 20%.
- 3
Evaluate regularly
Critical suppliers every six or twelve months, others less often.
- 4
Define consequences
At what score do you hold a meeting, plan an audit or look for a replacement?
Selecting new suppliers
Evaluation starts before the first order. For new critical suppliers, a short self-assessment, a review of certificates, sample deliveries and, where needed, a visit or audit have proven useful. Record why a supplier was approved and for which parts or services the approval applies. That way you can later tell whether a new area of use requires another review.
Common mistakes
- Treating all suppliers the same, including the office supplies dealer.
- Gut-feeling evaluations without data.
- Poor ratings without consequences.
- Forgetting service providers such as calibration labs or subcontractors.
Implementing it in docxpert
docxpert has no dedicated supplier module with automated scoring. The “Suppliers and external providers” and “Supplier evaluation” templates in the template library provide the procedure and the evaluation form as controlled documents. You record supplier complaints in deviation management and use them as the data basis.
Frequently asked questions
Does supplier evaluation have to be documented?
Yes. ISO 9001 requires you to retain the results of evaluation, selection, monitoring and re-evaluation as documented information.
How often should suppliers be evaluated?
The standard sets no interval. Annual evaluation is common, more often for critical suppliers.
Is the supplier's ISO 9001 certificate enough?
It is a good indication but does not replace monitoring of actual performance.
Do service providers count as external providers?
Yes. Outsourced processes and services, such as calibration or transport, also fall under 8.4.