Supplier Approval Checklist
A checklist for approving a supplier: checks, evidence, and decision.
Choose a design
The same document in 9 designs, same content and editable fields, different styling. Pick the design you like and download that version. Click any design to preview it larger before downloading. The Sample card shows a completed example, filled in with sample details.
Classic Navy
Executive Charcoal
Modern Minimal
Compact
Burgundy
Forest
Teal Professional
Warm Copper
Mono
Sample
Download this template
Choose the file you need, then download it. No sign-up, no payment.
What’s Included in This Resource
Every resource on The Office File provides a complete toolkit rather than an empty, unhelpful document shell:
- Editable Microsoft Word (.docx) template (43 KB)
- Printable PDF version (124 KB)
Sample included: Example: Supplier Approval Checklist in use. Approving a supplier on evidence: six approval checks, evidence table, decision, and approved supplier record.
How to Use This Template
Follow these practical steps to customize and roll out this procedure with your team:
1. Work through all six checks
Verify company details, bank details, references, insurance, conflicts, and terms.
2. File evidence per check
Record evidence, checker, and date for each check.
3. Decide on the record
Record approve, reject, or conditional with conditions or reasons.
4. Create the supplier record
Record the approved supplier with service, start date, and review due date.
About This Template
The best-run operations run on checklists. This template turns a repeatable process into a step-by-step verification list so nothing gets missed, skipped, or done out of order, no matter who is on shift. It is the simplest quality-control system a small team can adopt.
Approving a supplier on evidence: six approval checks, evidence table, decision, and approved supplier record.
When to Use This Template
- Handing over tasks between team members without losing track of what is done
- Onboarding new staff by walking them through each step in order
- Standardising quality checks so every job meets the same bar
- Preparing for inspections or audits with documented proof of compliance
- Investigating what went wrong by tracing which step was missed
Key Sections Explained
Understanding what goes in each part of the document helps you fill it in correctly the first time:
Pre-conditions
Anything that must be true before starting, such as safety gear on or systems powered down.
Sign-off and date
Completion signature and date, turning the checklist into a record that the verification actually happened.
Responsible person
Who performs each check or who signs off overall, accountability is what makes checklists work.
Step-by-step items
The ordered checks themselves, each phrased as a verifiable action with a tick box. Keep each item to one clear action.
Title and purpose
What this checklist verifies and when it should be used, so anyone picking it up knows immediately if it applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should we review the checklist itself?
Quarterly, or whenever a step is repeatedly skipped or a failure occurs that the checklist should have caught. A checklist that never changes is probably not being used honestly.
How detailed should each item be?
One verifiable action per item. 'Check fire extinguishers' is too vague; 'Confirm each extinguisher shows green on its pressure gauge and is within its service date' can actually be verified.
Who should complete the checklist?
The person doing the work, at the time they do it, not a supervisor filling it in later from memory. The value is in the doing, not just the record.
Paper or digital?
Whichever your team will actually use. Paper works well for physical walkarounds; digital is better when you want timestamps, photos, and automatic filing. The best format is the one that gets completed.