Help Setting a QA Budget

Dear All,

We are nearing the end of the year and I have been tasked with doing a budget for QA.It is the first time I would be doing this in my career. What components should be included in a comprehensive QA budget? Does anyone have sample that I can build from?

Agwanda

Dear All,

We are nearing the end of the year and I have been tasked with doing a budget for QA.It is the first time I would be doing this in my career. What components should be included in a comprehensive QA budget? Does anyone have sample that I can build from?

Agwanda

I'm afraid I don't have a good advice to offer, but try to consider items like calibration, ISO/BRC certification/surveillance audits, office supplies, etc.

You are lucky because you have a separate budget. In some companies QA is identified as a burden.

Dear All,

We are nearing the end of the year and I have been tasked with doing a budget for QA.It is the first time I would be doing this in my career. What components should be included in a comprehensive QA budget? Does anyone have sample that I can build from?

Agwanda

Do you have any historical budget data that you can look at?

There probably isnt an 'off the shelf' budget format for QA because every operation is different. Often you can use any previous budget plans as your model if it is available.

If there isn't one, the first step is to list all of your and your departments responsibilities.

These may include depending upon your organisation:

QC testing, internal and external laboratory analyses
Pest Control
Cleaning
Internal and supplier auditing
External and certification audits
Training
Medical Screening
Complaint evaluation
Non conforming material evaluation
etc

(There is an another plus to doing this in that it helps you prepare for any annual appraisals!)

Look then at the costs for doing each of these - include staff costs, equipment and material costs and external fees. If you have historical data it makes it easier. I always then add 10% to each of these on the basis that you will probably get some knocked off. (You may need to increase this if inflation is still a problem)

Look at the equipment and facilities that you have and see what may need replacing and cost it.

Look at what went wrong in the previous year and what further staff, equipment, materials you would have needed to have prevented it.

Always include an amount to cover ongoing staff training.

Look at any planned developments and projects for the coming year and what you will need to cover it - maybe new product ranges, certifications, consultancies.
Consider also any continuous improvement KPIs that you may have.

There will always be additional areas to the above, but this should be a starting point

Great list Foodworker, I agree budgeting is very good practice.
Just to add a couple of specifics how about external laundry and calibration.

Regards,
Simon

Do you have any historical budget data that you can look at?

Dear mgourley,

I do not have a prevoius budget to work from unfortunately!

DONT FORGET TO PUT IN THE SALARIES OF STAFF IN THE QA DEPARTMENT