What are the standard disposition codes on an NCR?

Common disposition decisions are Use as-is (accepted with justification), Rework (bring back to spec in-house), Repair (restore function), Scrap (dispose), Return to vendor (RTV), Sort or 100% inspect (screen good from bad), and Concession or deviation (one-time engineered acceptance). Each disposition requires a documented rationale and approver.

When should a small business issue an NCR?

Issue an NCR whenever incoming inspection, in-process checks, final inspection, a customer return, a supplier issue, an audit finding, or a customer complaint reveals material, product, or work that does not meet requirements. The NCR quarantines the items, records traceability, and drives a documented disposition decision.

Is this NCR builder free and does it require an account?

Yes, this tool is 100% free with no account, signup, or software subscription required. All data stays in your browser. It generates text, CSV, and print records for shop floor quality boards and audit binders. It is a client-side document generator for operational teams, not a certified enterprise QMS.

Document the nonconformance. Decide the disposition.

Q: What is a non-conformance report (NCR)?

A non-conformance report (NCR) is a structured quality document used by manufacturing, construction, fabrication, and service operations to record a product, process, or material that fails to meet a specified requirement, capture traceability and risk, decide a disposition for the affected items, and track follow-up actions through verification.

Build a free non-conformance report (NCR) with product and lot traceability, risk level, standard disposition codes, containment, action owners, verification, optional CAPA link, audit flags, and CSV or print export. No signup.

✓ 100% Client-Side Private ✓ No Account or Signup ✓ Disposition Codes & Action Tracker ✓ Instant CSV, TXT & Print Export

NCR 1. Header & Classification

Identification

NCR Number *

Nonconformance Title *

Company / Shop

Site / Facility

Process / Area *

Detection Source

Opened Date *

Discovered By *

NCR Status

NCR Owner *

Owner Email

Related PO

Related WO

Other References

Header Notes

2. Nonconformance Description

Scope

Description (What failed vs requirement?) *

Requirement Reference

Customer or Supplier

Part Number

Part Description

Lot / Batch

Serial Number(s)

Quantity Affected *

Unit of Measure

When Discovered

How Discovered

3. Risk Classification

Severity

Risk Level *

Safety Impact

Customer Impact

Stop Ship

4. Disposition Decision

Decision

Decide what happens to the affected material. A documented rationale and approver are required for every disposition other than Pending.

Disposition *

Approved By

Approval Date

Disposition Rationale *

Scrap Cost ($)

Rework Cost ($)

Other Cost ($)

5. Immediate Containment

First Response

Containment Actions * Mandatory for Critical or Major risk.

Containment Lead

Target Completion

Containment Status

Qty Quarantined

6. Action Plan

Disposition actions execute the material decision; containment follow-ups and notifications close out the response. Each row needs an owner and a due date.

7. Verification & CAPA Link

Signoff

Verification Plan *

Verification Lead

Verification Due

Result

Closed Date

Verification Notes

Recurrence

CAPA Linked?

CAPA Number Need a systemic root-cause record? Open a free CAPA form.

How a Non-Conformance Report (NCR) Works

A non-conformance report (NCR) records any material, product, process output, or service result that fails to meet a specified requirement, then drives a documented decision about what to do with the affected items. Used across manufacturing, fabrication, construction, logistics, and field service, an NCR is the bridge between detecting a problem and resolving it cleanly.

Step 1

Detect & Document

Record the defect, requirement, quantity, and traceability.

Step 2

Contain

Quarantine suspect items, hold shipments, protect the customer.

Step 3

Decide Disposition

Use-as-is, rework, repair, scrap, RTV, sort, or concession.

Step 4

Act & Verify

Execute actions, verify the fix, link a CAPA if systemic.

NCR vs. CAPA: when to escalate

The two documents solve different problems and small teams often blur them. Keep them straight:

NCR answers "what do we do with this bad material or this specific event?" It owns traceability, risk, and the disposition decision for the affected quantity.
CAPA answers "why did this happen systemically, and how do we stop it coming back?" It owns root-cause analysis (5-Why), corrective and preventive actions, and effectiveness verification across the process.

A single minor NCR may close on its own. A Major or Critical NCR, a repeat defect, a customer complaint, or a finding that points at a broken process should spawn a CAPA. This builder links to a free CAPA form builder so you can hand off cleanly.

Standard disposition codes explained

Use as-is — accepted with documented justification; no rework needed.
Rework — in-house steps bring the item back into spec.
Repair — restore function, often on installed or field units.
Scrap — dispose; capture scrap cost.
Return to vendor (RTV) — reject incoming material back to the supplier.
Sort / 100% inspect — screen the lot to separate good from bad.
Concession / deviation — one-time engineered acceptance, usually customer-approved.

Transparent completeness scoring formula

The live score evaluates your NCR against a 100-point transparent formula:

Section	Weight	Evaluation Criteria
1. Header & metadata	20 pts	NCR #, title, process area, discovered by, owner, opened date
2. Description & quantity	15 pts	Clear defect description plus affected quantity documented
3. Risk level	10 pts	Critical, Major, or Minor risk classification selected
4. Disposition & rationale	20 pts	Non-pending disposition with documented rationale
5. Containment	10 pts	Required for Critical/Major; verified quarantine actions
6. Action plan	15 pts	At least one action with owner and due date
7. Verification plan	5 pts	Defined verification approach
8. Overdue status	5 pts	Awarded when no open action is past due

Example walkthrough: Harbor Ridge Millwork wrong stain lot

The pre-loaded example covers NCR-2026-042 at Harbor Ridge Millwork:

Defect: 12 door leafs finished with wrong stain lot HR-STAIN-17 instead of the approved HR-STAIN-09, caught in-process on the finishing line.
Containment: affected leafs moved to quarantine rack B-3; downstream assembly held pending disposition.
Disposition: Rework — strip and re-finish with the correct stain lot, estimated rework cost captured.
Actions: (1) re-finish 12 leafs (Disposition action, Done); (2) notify Harbor Ridge of 2-day slip (Notification, In progress); (3) update finishing SOP to require lot verification at color booth (Containment follow-up, Open overdue).
Verification: Pending — first re-finished leaf reviewed against approved sample before lot release.
CAPA: Recommended — this is a repeat stain-lot mix-up, so a systemic CAPA is linked for root-cause work.

When to issue an NCR vs. a quick fix note

Issue an NCR: incoming, in-process, final, or customer-reported defects; supplier non-conformances; audit findings; customer complaints where material or work does not meet requirements.
Use a quick fix note: isolated minor cosmetic blemishes caught and corrected immediately, routine tool adjustments, or operator self-corrections with no quarantined material.

Limitations & operational disclaimers

Not a certified QMS: this tool generates standalone text, CSV, and print records. It does not replace a validated enterprise Quality Management System, electronic QMS (eQMS), or ISO 9001 / AS9100 audit vault.
Not legal or product-liability advice: for regulated product liability, recall, or warranty exposure, follow your organization's legal and QMS procedures.
Not a medical-device or aerospace eQMS: regulated industries require validated, audit-trailed software with electronic signatures (21 CFR Part 11 / Eudamed / AS9100). Use this tool for planning and documentation only.

Frequently asked questions

What is a non-conformance report (NCR)?

A structured quality document that records a product, process, or material that fails to meet a requirement, captures traceability and risk, decides a disposition for the affected items, and tracks follow-up actions through verification.

What is the difference between an NCR and a CAPA?

An NCR documents a single non-conformance event and decides what to do with the affected material. A CAPA investigates the systemic root cause of recurring or major non-conformances and implements long-term process fixes with effectiveness verification.

What are the standard disposition codes?

Use as-is, Rework, Repair, Scrap, Return to vendor, Sort / 100% inspect, and Concession / deviation. Each requires a documented rationale and approver.

Can I export my NCR to CSV or print it?

Yes. The builder offers instant CSV export for spreadsheets, clean text summary copying, and a print-ready stylesheet for shop floor quality boards and audit binders, all without signing up.

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