Layered Process Audit Checklist Template

A useful layered process audit checklist turns a process requirement into a short check someone can perform at the workstation. Start with the editable form below, replace the examples with your own process controls, and agree on what evidence counts as a pass.

Download the LPA checklist

Download the editable Excel checklist (.xlsx)

Download the printable checklist (.pdf)

The Excel workbook includes a Checklist sheet with eight editable example checks and a Findings sheet for ownership and closure evidence. The two-page PDF provides a shop-floor checklist and a separate follow-up record. Both are free to download without a registration form.

These are original LayerAudit starter templates. Adapt them to your approved work instructions, control plan and customer requirements. They are not an official AIAG CQI-8 form or a certification document.

What belongs on a layered process audit form?

• Audit identity: date, site, process or line, shift, management layer and auditor.
• A stable check ID and a reference to the applicable work instruction or control-plan item.
• One observable question, the expected condition and the evidence to examine.
• A Yes, No or N/A result. Record the reason when a check does not apply.
• A finding ID for a failed check, followed by containment, an action owner and a due date.
• Closure evidence, a verifier and a verification date so completion can be checked later.

Keep the question, expected condition and result separate. A Yes answer is meaningful only when two trained auditors would inspect the same thing and reach the same conclusion. Avoid a broad question such as “Is the station compliant?” because it leaves the acceptance criteria unclear.

Eight example LPA checklist questions

Use these prompts as starting points. Each needs a named process reference and a defined observation method before it becomes a live audit question.

• Work instruction: Does the instruction available at this station match the revision approved for the job currently running?
• Material identification: Does the material or component ID at the point of use match the current job specification?
• Process settings: Do the displayed settings for the selected critical parameter match the approved setup range?
• Error proofing: Is the required error-proofing verification recorded for the current production period?
• Measurement equipment: Is the selected gauge identified and within its required calibration or verification period?
• Product identification: Can the sampled container or unit be traced using the identification required by this process?
• Nonconforming material: Is the sampled rejected material identified and held in the location defined by the local procedure?
• Previous finding: Is the control introduced for the selected closed finding still in place at the workstation?

Turn a generic prompt into a checkable question

Consider an illustrative assembly station. “Are the settings correct?” is too vague. A better question is: “For the job running at station A-12, does the displayed torque program ID match the program ID on the current setup instruction?” The auditor compares two identified records, writes down the observed IDs and records the result. Your process owner supplies the actual instruction, program and acceptance criteria.

This example verifies a defined process control. It does not establish a torque specification or authorize anyone to alter equipment settings. A checklist should point to the approved source of those values.

Use the checklist during an audit

• Before the visit, select the process and the checklist revision. Confirm the process is running and identify the shift and auditor.
• At the workstation, observe the work and compare evidence with the expected condition. Ask the operator for context when the process is unclear.
• Record the observed condition. Use No when the defined condition is not met, and explain N/A rather than treating it as a pass.
• Link each No to a finding. Follow the site escalation procedure for urgent issues and record any immediate containment.
• Give follow-up work an owner and due date. Verify the corrective action at the process before recording closure.

Excel, PDF or a digital checklist?

Use Excel when you need to edit questions and organize a pilot. Use the PDF for a printed audit at the workstation. With either format, decide who controls revisions and reconciles results from multiple auditors. The download files are standalone templates; they do not automatically synchronize with LayerAudit.

When recurring assignments and follow-up become difficult to coordinate, a digital workflow can connect checklists, audit findings and corrective actions. Start by checking that the software supports the responsibilities your team has already defined.

Explore LayerAudit checklist and follow-up features

Frequently asked questions

Can every management layer use the same checklist? Use shared checks for the critical controls that all layers need to verify. Add role-specific questions only when they serve a defined purpose. Keep the acceptance criteria consistent across layers.

How many questions should an LPA checklist contain? Use the smallest set that verifies the selected risks within the time available. There is no universal count in this template. Pilot it at the workstation and remove questions that duplicate checks or cannot be answered consistently.

Is this template suitable for automotive suppliers? It can be a starting point for process checks in an automotive plant. Your quality team must reconcile it with applicable customer-specific requirements and the current program guidance it uses.

Plan the next step

Understand the LPA method and see a worked example

Build an audit schedule across layers and shifts

Review LayerAudit pricing

Further reading

EASE: topics to consider when designing a process audit checklist

AIAG: CQI-8 publication information