A Quality Record refers to objective evidence documents formed in foreign trade business to prove that products meet specified quality requirements, including inspection reports, test data, certificates of conformity, quality plans, process control records, etc. It is commonly used in contract performance, quality dispute resolution, customer audits, third-party inspections, and system certifications (such as ISO 9001). Points to note in usage: Quality records should be authentic, complete, and traceable, and comply with the retention period stipulated by the importing country's regulations or the contract; different from a 'Certificate of Quality,' which is a formal declaration issued by a third party or supplier, while quality records are the original evidence supporting that declaration. Additionally, quality records are not equivalent to 'inspection records'; their scope is broader, covering the entire process of design, procurement, production, inspection, and after-sales. Foreign trade practitioners should specify in the contract the types of quality records, submission deadlines, language, and retention responsibilities to avoid rejection or claims due to missing records.
📝 Examples
1. Please provide the full set of quality records for this batch of bearings along with the shipment, including raw material inspection reports, heat treatment curves, and finished product dimension inspection data, so that we can clear customs and the customer can accept the goods. (Note: In the shipping stage, the supplier is required to provide quality records for customs clearance and acceptance.)
2. Since the buyer raised an objection to the hardness of the previous batch of goods, we retrieved the quality records from the production process to prove that the batch of products all met the contract-specified HRC58-62 standard. (Note: In a quality dispute, quality records are used as evidence of conformity.)
💡 Foreign Trade Tips
Foreign trade terms are the foundation of international business communication
Trade practices may vary slightly by country; pay attention when using them
When using terms in contracts, specify the applicable version (e.g., Incoterms 2020)
For unfamiliar terms, use GlobalSync's multilingual email helper to confirm with your partner