Layered process audit schedule template
Plan your layered process audits without a spreadsheet: list the stations, define the layers with their auditors and frequency (every shift, daily, weekly, every two weeks, monthly or quarterly) and get the LPA schedule for 1 to 26 weeks with a date, station and auditor for every audit.
The plan shows as an LPA calendar, one week at a time with the stations as rows and the working days as columns and a colour per layer, a coverage matrix that shows how often each layer sees each station, and a printable audit list with a Done box and a score column that you can hang at the line as the LPA board.
Worked example: LPA Schedule Generator
- 01Stations6 stationsevery place the controls must be checked
- 02Layers4 layersteam leader every shift up to plant manager quarterly
- 03Planabout 52 auditsstations rotate, layers start at different places
- 04PrintLPA boardtick each audit when it is done
01Method
Every layer rotates through the stations in order, and the layers start at different stations, so in one week the team leader, the supervisor and the manager are not all at the same place. Weekly audits move through the weekdays; monthly and quarterly audits are spread over the weeks of the month or quarter.
On an every-shift layer the first auditor takes shift 1, the second shift 2 and so on. The coverage matrix marks in red every station that a layer does not reach in the plan, and the audit hours per week show the load on each layer.
02When to use it
Use it when you start an LPA program, when auditors or shifts change, and to show an auditor or a customer that every station is audited by every layer. Plan a quarter (13 weeks) to see the monthly and quarterly layers rotate through the plant.
PDF report in one click
Download the LPA schedule as a landscape PDF with the calendar for every week, the coverage matrix and the full audit list with Done and Score columns, with your header and logo.
Private: runs in your browser
Stations and names stay in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
How to build an LPA schedule
- List the stations or areas where the critical controls of the control plan must be checked. Start with the high-risk ones.
- Define the layers: who audits, and how often. Put the team leaders of all shifts into the first layer, one name per shift.
- Pick the plan length: 4 weeks for the shop floor board, 13 weeks (a quarter) to see every layer rotate through the plant.
- Check the coverage matrix and the hours. If a layer cannot reach all stations, add auditors or extend the plan. If the hours are too high, reduce the stations per layer to the critical ones.
- Print the PDF and hang the audit list on the LPA board. Run each audit with the online LPA checklist and tick it off.
Typical LPA frequency by layer
| Layer | Who | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team leader | Every shift or daily |
| 2 | Supervisor, quality engineer | Weekly |
| 3 | Department or production manager | Monthly |
| 4 | Plant manager | Quarterly |
Prefer an Excel workbook? The free LPA audit template LITE tracks audits done against the required number per layer.
Frequently asked questions
›How often should each LPA layer audit?
A common pattern is team leaders every shift, supervisors and quality engineers weekly, department managers monthly and the plant manager quarterly. Your customer-specific requirements may set the frequency; GM, for example, asks for daily audits at the first layer.
›How do I make sure every station is audited?
Rotate the stations per layer and check the coverage matrix: it shows how often each layer audits each station in the plan. A red 0 is a station that layer never sees. Monthly and quarterly layers need a longer plan (13 or 26 weeks) to rotate through all stations.
›What is an LPA board?
A board at the line or in the quality office that shows the LPA schedule and the status of each audit: done, missed, or done with findings, often in green and red. Print the audit list from this tool, hang it on the board and tick each audit when it is done; write the score or the number of NOK items next to it.
›How long does one layered process audit take?
About 10 to 15 minutes. The tool multiplies the number of audits by the minutes per audit, so you see the audit hours per week for each layer before you agree the plan with management.
›Is the schedule saved?
The plan is kept in this browser and restored on your next visit. Use the projects menu in the top bar to save several plans, for example one per production hall.