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Most FSQA managers have heard it: an auditor looks at a record, then leans back and says, “Show me evidence.” On the surface, it sounds like they’re asking for paperwork. In reality, they’re testing how your system works, and whether the documents in front of them reflect daily practice.
Initials on a log don’t mean much if they can’t be tied back to a training record. A corrective action isn’t considered closed if there’s no verification attached. Auditors cross-check. They look for continuity across documents, not just completion of a single form.
Auditors know that binders can look perfect in a conference room while practices on the floor tell a different story. That’s why “evidence” often means:
A training sign-off linked to the operator’s name
A timestamped record showing when equipment was sanitized
A CAPA with a follow-up swab result attached
A supplier approval with the most recent COA or audit report in place
When evidence lives in multiple places, binders, inboxes, shared drives, the retrieval itself becomes a test. If it takes 20 minutes to find a supplier record, an auditor assumes the system isn’t reliable.
The sites that consistently avoid findings don’t just keep records, they make proof easy to show. That means CAPAs with verification built in, supplier files that are current without digging, and training logs that connect to competence, not just attendance.
“Show me evidence” is less about filling gaps on a checklist and more about proving that your food safety system is alive, consistent, and verifiable.
Certdox centralizes supplier records, CAPAs, training logs, and audit documentation in one place. So when an auditor asks for evidence, the proof isn’t buried in a binder, it’s ready in seconds.
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