Replace spreadsheet NCR and CAR registers
Excel NCR logs break when two people edit at once, status columns drift, and nobody can prove which CAR closed which finding. Here is a practical path off spreadsheets into live registers — starting free.
Symptoms your spreadsheet QMS is failing
Duplicate NCR numbers, missing closed dates, CARs that never link back to the source finding, and email attachments instead of evidence in one place.
Surveillance audits expose this quickly: the auditor asks for open NCRs over 30 days, effectiveness checks on CARs, and a clean export. Spreadsheets rarely answer without a scramble.
What a live NCR/CAR register should do
Unique IDs, severity and stage, owners and due dates, status from open to closed, and a hard link from NCR to CAR when corrective action is required.
PDF or CSV reports for each register, plus the ability to add rows in the portal (or from a phone) without emailing a master file around.
A one-week migration plan
Day 1–2: Explore the Free demo portal and map your Excel columns to NCR and CAR fields. Day 3: Start free ISO 9001 and create your account.
Day 4–5: Enter open NCRs and active CARs (or import via CSV where available). Day 6–7: Close two sample items end-to-end and export PDF reports for your quality meeting.
Keep the old spreadsheet read-only as archive until the next internal audit confirms the live registers are the source of truth.
When to upgrade past Free
Stay on Free while you prove the workflow with four starter registers and PDF reports. Upgrade to a paid single-standard portal when you need the full document library, audit tools, Word/Excel export or more users.
Frequently asked questions
Can we import existing Excel NCRs?
Yes — Free and paid portals support practical migration from spreadsheets. Start with open items, then archive historical closed rows once the live register is trusted.
Do we lose data if we only explore the Free portal?
The public Free portal preview is sample data and does not save your records. Start free ISO 9001 to keep your own NCR and CAR rows in your account.
Is this only for ISO 9001?
NCR and CAR sit at the heart of ISO 9001, but the same discipline helps ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 corrective action programmes when you expand later.
Try the Free portal first
Explore sample NCR and CAR registers, then start free to keep your own data.