Each delivery is checked in on a dock tablet form recording lot number, arrival temperature, packaging condition, a photo and the certificate of analysis. Passing lots are released, while a failed check puts the lot on hold and alerts the QA lead on WhatsApp.
Typical results
≈5 min
From a failed check to the QA lead's phone
0
Held lots issued to production
100%
Of deliveries logged with lot number and photo
≈3 hrs/wk
Less time filing and searching receiving sheets
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
At a ready-meal plant, receiving checks are usually written on paper at the dock and reviewed by QA hours later. A chilled delivery that arrived too warm, or a lot without its certificate of analysis, can reach the kitchen before anyone reads the sheet, and the paper trail is hard to produce for an audit.
Before and after
Minutes until QA learns of a failed delivery
−98%Failed lots reaching production per quarter
−100%Hours per week filing receiving paperwork
−75%The automation
The receiving clerk checks in each delivery on a tablet form: supplier, lot number, arrival temperature, packaging condition, a photo and whether the certificate of analysis came with it. Lots that pass every check are marked released in the Google Sheets lot register. A temperature outside the limit, damaged packaging or a missing certificate marks the lot on hold and sends the QA lead a WhatsApp message with the photo and the reason.
How it works
- 01
Delivery checked in on tablet
The receiving clerk records supplier, lot number, arrival temperature, packaging condition and a photo, and ticks whether the certificate of analysis arrived.
- 02
Limits checked
The form compares the temperature with the limit for that material and checks the packaging and certificate answers.
- 03
Pass: released
A lot that passes every check is marked released in the Google Sheets lot register and can be issued to production.
- 04
Fail: hold and WhatsApp
A failed check marks the lot on hold and sends the QA lead a WhatsApp message with the photo and the reason.
Starts from
- Incoming delivery
- Arrival temperature check
- Photo and certificate
Delivers
- Released lot in register
- Lot on hold
- WhatsApp alert to QA lead
The impact
QA knows about a failed delivery within minutes instead of hours, and held lots are flagged in the register before anyone can issue them to production. Receiving records are complete and searchable by lot, so a traceability request or an audit question takes minutes to answer.
Questions about this automation
Can the temperature limits differ by material?
Yes. A materials tab in the same sheet holds the limit for each raw material, for example chilled meat, dairy or frozen vegetables, and the form looks up the limit when the clerk picks the material. Dry goods can skip the temperature question entirely.
How is a held lot released later?
The QA lead reviews the lot, for example after the supplier sends the missing certificate, and changes its status in the register to released or rejected with a note. Each change is time-stamped, so the register shows who released the lot, when and why.
How fast can this be set up?
Simple automations like this are usually live within days. The plant needs its list of raw materials with temperature limits, the checks it already does at receiving, a tablet at the dock and the WhatsApp number of the QA lead or a QA group.