Product tools · Inspection stage
BetaFAT readiness check: confirm equipment, procedure and evidence are ready for the factory acceptance test
The FAT Readiness Check reviews whether a factory acceptance test is ready to go ahead. It reads the FAT procedure with drawings, datasheets, the ITP, calibration evidence, the NCR register and the punch list. You get a readiness verdict, with hard blockers kept apart from review items, for test, quality and project teams.
FAT Readiness Check is in beta. Request access and we onboard each team ourselves: we run your first real documents with you and check the results together.
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What goes in and what you get out
What goes in
- FAT procedure (required)
- Approved drawings (optional, several files)
- Datasheets (optional, several files)
- ITP (optional)
- Calibration evidence (optional, several files)
- NCR register (optional)
- Punch list (optional)
What it checks
- Check customer witness requirements
- Block on outstanding NCRs
- Check instrumentation readiness
- Check safety prerequisites
What you get out
- A readiness verdict for the FAT
- Hard blockers listed separately from review items
- A quote from the procedure, register or certificate behind each finding
- CSV or JSON export for your FAT preparation tracker
Who uses it: Test engineers, Quality engineers, Project managers, Inspection coordinators.
20 questions about the FAT Readiness Check
What is a factory acceptance test (FAT)?
A factory acceptance test is a test of finished equipment at the maker's works, before it ships. It shows the customer that the equipment works as the order requires. The test follows an approved FAT procedure, and the customer or its inspector often witnesses it. Faults found at the FAT are far cheaper to fix in the factory than on site.
What does the FAT Readiness Check do?
It checks whether everything a FAT depends on is in place before the test day. That includes an approved procedure and drawings, the ITP status, calibrated instruments, closed NCRs, open punch items, safety steps and the customer's witness needs. It returns a readiness verdict and lists hard blockers apart from items that only need a review. Each finding quotes its source document.
Which documents do I upload?
Only the FAT procedure is required. You can add the approved drawings, the datasheets, the ITP, calibration certificates for the test instruments, the NCR register and the punch list. Each extra document lets the check cover more of what the FAT depends on. It reads PDF, Word, Excel and CSV files, so registers kept in spreadsheets work as they are.
What is the difference between a hard blocker and a review item?
A hard blocker means the FAT should not start, for example a rejected procedure, an expired test instrument or an open NCR on the equipment under test. A review item needs a person to judge it, such as a minor punch item or a document that is close to its limit. Keeping the two apart helps the team act on what matters first.
How do you check FAT readiness by hand?
Teams usually build a checklist from the FAT procedure and the order. Then they confirm each item: the procedure and drawings are approved, the datasheet revision matches, instruments are in calibration on the test date, NCRs and punch items are closed or agreed, and the customer has been given notice. It means chasing several registers and owners, often in the last few days.
What are the most common reasons a FAT is not ready?
Common causes are a test procedure that is still awaiting approval or was returned with comments, a test gauge whose calibration runs out before the test, and an open NCR on the equipment. Others include open punch items the customer counts as must-close, drawings or datasheets at an old revision, an ITP hold point not signed off, and too little notice to the customer.
How much notice does the customer need before a witnessed FAT?
It depends on the order. The notice period is usually set in the purchase order, the quality specification or the ITP, often as a number of working days. The FAT Readiness Check looks for the notice requirement in the documents you upload and flags it when the planned notice looks shorter than required. Always confirm the notice terms in your own contract.
What is a punch list?
A punch list is a list of small open items that still need finishing or fixing, such as a missing label or a paint touch-up. Items are often given a category. A common split is category A items that must close before a milestone and category B items that can close later. The categories and rules come from the customer or the project.
Why does an open NCR block a FAT?
A nonconformance report (NCR) records something that does not meet the requirements. If an NCR covering the equipment under test is still open, the test may prove nothing useful, or the customer may refuse to accept the result. The FAT Readiness Check can block on open NCRs in scope. It keeps NCRs for other equipment apart so they don't count as blockers.
Why does instrument calibration matter for a FAT?
Test results are only as good as the instruments that measured them. If a gauge or meter is out of calibration on the test date, the customer can reject the readings and ask for a retest. The FAT Readiness Check compares the calibration evidence with the planned test date and flags instruments that will have expired, or that have no certificate.
What does the customer's inspector expect on the FAT day?
They expect the approved procedure, the latest approved drawings and datasheets, calibrated instruments with certificates to hand, and the equipment complete and ready. They expect earlier ITP steps signed off and NCRs closed or agreed. A FAT that stops halfway because something was not ready wastes the inspector's visit and can mean paying for another one.
What safety prerequisites does the check look at?
It looks for the safety steps named in your FAT procedure and other documents, such as a test permit, guarding or a pressure test area being set up. If the procedure calls for a permit and there is no evidence it was raised, that is flagged. The check only sees what the documents say. Your site's own safety rules still apply.
How does the check handle the customer witness requirement?
It reads the witness requirement from the ITP, the FAT procedure and other documents you upload. It then checks whether the FAT is marked as a witness or hold point for the customer and whether the notice given meets the stated period. It reports a missing or short notice as a finding, with the quote that sets the requirement.
Does it check that drawings and datasheets are at the right revision?
Yes, within the documents you upload. If the FAT procedure or ITP refers to a drawing or datasheet revision, the check compares it with the revision of the documents supplied. A mismatch is flagged, because testing against an old revision can mean the equipment is checked against the wrong values. It cannot see revisions held only in other systems.
What do I get back from the FAT Readiness Check?
You get one readiness verdict for the FAT, a list of hard blockers and a separate list of review items. Each finding says what was checked and quotes the document behind it, such as the procedure, the NCR register or a calibration certificate. You can export the results as CSV or JSON and use them as your preparation tracker.
Does the FAT Readiness Check decide whether the FAT goes ahead?
No. It prepares the evidence and a suggested verdict for your team. Your test and quality engineers decide whether to go ahead, and the customer may have its own release rules. It does not sign off the FAT, notify the customer or record test results. Treat its findings as a careful pre-check that points to the exact documents.
What are the limits of the FAT Readiness Check?
It only checks the documents you upload. If an NCR or punch item is kept somewhere else, it can't see it. It reads text and tables, not engineering drawings. It does not inspect the equipment or know its physical state on the day. The tool is in beta, so we review each team's first runs with them.
How is a FAT different from a site acceptance test?
A FAT happens at the maker's factory before shipping. A site acceptance test (SAT) happens after installation at the customer's site, often with the equipment connected to the wider plant. The FAT proves the equipment itself; the SAT proves it works in place. Many orders need both. The FAT Readiness Check is built for the factory test.
Is the FAT Readiness Check available now?
The FAT Readiness Check is in beta. You can request access, and we onboard each team ourselves: we agree a real FAT procedure and its supporting documents to start with, run it with you, and check the results together. That way you see how it handles your documents before you rely on it. Document Review, our production tool, is generally available.
Which tools come before and after the FAT Readiness Check?
Before it, the Calibration Validity Check confirms the instruments behind earlier tests were in calibration, and the ITP Validator and Inspection Readiness Check cover the earlier steps. After it, the MRB Readiness Check compares your record package with the customer's final index, so the FAT report and everything before it lands in the manufacturing record book.
Where it sits in the order lifecycle
Related standards, guides and templates
Try the FAT Readiness Check on your own documents
Tell us which documents you want to check first. We set up your workspace and run the first package with you.