ORDER FOLLOW-UP · September 27, 2026
How to Control Product Specification Changes During China Production
Control a specification change by identifying exactly what changes, which units it affects, who approves it and what evidence is needed before production or release. This guide was scheduled for September 26 and first published September 27. The workflow below is practical buyer guidance, not a claim of certification compliance.
Start with a controlled baseline
Identify the purchase order, SKU, drawing or specification revision, approved sample and packaging requirements currently in force. Store the baseline where the buyer, supplier and inspection team can identify the same version. A file called final-new does not tell a workshop which instruction applies.
Create a numbered change request with the proposer, date, reason and exact old and proposed values. Include units and tolerances where relevant. Separate a requested change from an approved instruction.
Identify the affected stock before approval
Ask the supplier to count raw materials, work in progress, completed units and packed units affected by the change. Identify lots and locations. Record whether the change would require replacement parts, rework, new tooling, revised artwork or different packing.
Request the cost and schedule impact with the assumptions supporting it. Keep supplier estimates labeled as estimates. Changes involving safety, regulated characteristics or required testing need review by a suitably qualified person for the product and destination before release.
Example: define which units receive the new label
Illustrative example: an order has 1,000 units, with 300 already packed and 700 not yet packed. The buyer requests a revised label. Approval for the 700 units alone does not authorize shipping the 300 with the old label.
Record the disposition of both groups: for example, hold the 300 pending a rework decision and apply the approved artwork revision to the remaining 700. If all 1,000 must match, obtain a plan to relabel and verify the first group before release. Track the two groups separately until reconciliation is complete.
Approve the change and verification method together
The approval record should identify the authorized revision, effective lot or serial range, quantity, cost, timing and approving people. Attach the approved sample or artwork where applicable. Obtain acknowledgment from the supplier and tell the inspection team which revision to use.
Specify how the change will be checked: for example, an agreed first-piece review, dimension check or label comparison. Record results against the revised acceptance criteria. Photographs can support identification but may not establish material properties or functional performance.
Close the record at release
Reconcile old-revision stock, reworked stock, rejects and approved new-revision stock. Confirm that the packing list and product identifiers reflect what is actually being shipped. Preserve the superseded revision for traceability while clearly marking it as no longer current for the affected scope.
Close with evidence, outstanding exceptions and the release decision. MORENICE can coordinate supplier follow-up and inspection scope; a signed change record alone does not prove that the factory implemented the change.