Free sample approval form (pre-production and production samples)
Before mass production, the buyer approves a sample so that the factory has a physical reference and the inspector has something to compare the goods with. This form records which sample was checked, how it compares with the specification point by point, the decision (approved, approved with comments or rejected) and what must change, and gives the approved sample a reference to be sealed and kept by both sides.
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What the template covers
- Buyer, supplier, product, item code, PO and specification revision
- Sample type: proto, pre-production (PP), top of production (TOP) or shipment sample
- Sample number, quantity, date received and who checked it
- Checks against the specification: dimensions, materials, colour, finish, function, packing and labels
- Result for each check (OK or not OK) with comments
- Decision: approved, approved with comments or rejected, with the changes required
- Resubmission date if a new sample is needed, and the approved sample reference to seal
- Names, signatures and dates of the buyer and the supplier
Guides on this topic
Which samples to approve
Buyers usually approve a prototype or development sample first, then a pre-production (PP) sample made with the real materials and process, and sometimes a top of production (TOP) sample taken from the first goods off the line. Each approval should refer to the specification revision, so that later changes are visible and the sample, the specification and the purchase order say the same thing.
Comment precisely
Check every point of the specification and write what is wrong and what is required, for example 'handle 3 mm too long: 120 mm ± 2 mm required', rather than 'not good'. Mark the decision clearly: approval with comments means production can start once the comments are applied; rejection means a new sample before production. Give a date for the next sample.
Seal and keep the approved sample
Label the approved sample with its reference, the date and both signatures, keep one at the buyer and one at the factory, and give a third to the inspection company if it will compare the goods with it. A pre-shipment inspection checks conformity to the approved sample and the specification, so the sample must be the one that was actually approved.
Common questions
What is a sample approval form?
A record of the buyer's decision on a sample: which sample, how it compares with the specification, the decision and the changes required, signed by both sides.
What is the difference between a PP sample and a TOP sample?
A pre-production (PP) sample is made before mass production with the real materials and process; a top of production (TOP) sample is taken from the first goods produced in mass production.
What is a golden or sealed sample?
The approved sample, labelled and signed by both sides and kept as the physical reference for production and inspection.
What does 'approved with comments' mean?
Production can go ahead once the listed corrections are made, without a new sample, unless the form asks for one.
Who should sign the sample approval?
The buyer's person responsible for quality or the product, and the supplier's representative, with dates, so that both keep the same record.
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