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Tool 01 · Lot Traceability & Mass Balance

Traceability
Stress Test

38 structured questions. Find your gaps before the auditor does.

A self-assessment tool built from real audit findings across IFS Food, BRCGS, FSSC 22000 and EU General Food Law. Know exactly where your traceability system stands — before the audit begins.

Get this tool — €59 excl. VAT What's inside ↓
Excel (.xlsx) Instant download 45–90 min to complete No setup required
Traceability Stress Test cover
€59 excl. VAT
One-time purchase · Instant download
VAT added at checkout based on your location.
Excel (.xlsx) · Microsoft Excel & Google Sheets
38 questions Auto-scoring Maturity model Action log
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38 questions · 6 areas

What the Stress Test covers

Each area maps to specific requirements in IFS Food, BRCGS, FSSC 22000, and EU Regulation 178/2002.

A
Lot Traceability
Incoming materials, semi-finished goods, finished products. One-up / one-down traceability. Lot coding logic and consistency.
7 questions
B
Mass Balance
Per-batch measurement, variance recording, lot-linked waste and rework, packaging material traceability. The area most commonly misunderstood.
5 questions
C
Documentation & Records
Real-time completion, retrieval speed, audit trail integrity. Can you pull a full trace in under 4 hours?
5 questions
D
System & Controls
ERP vs paper, error-prevention controls, mock recall frequency and variation, formal recall procedure and recall team readiness.
10 questions
E
Non-Conforming Product
Segregation, hold status, release authorisation, documentation of disposition decisions. A common source of major non-conformities.
4 questions
F
Supplier Management
Approved supplier list, manufacturer visibility through distributors, risk-based supplier monitoring and re-evaluation.
7 questions

What's included

Five components, one file

Download once. Open in Excel or Google Sheets. No plugins, no subscriptions.

📊
Live Scoring Dashboard
Overall score out of 76, section breakdown, and compliance % per area — all calculated automatically as you answer.
🎯
4-Level Maturity Model
Reactive / Controlled / Proactive / Integrated. See exactly which level your system reaches — and what separates you from the next level.
📈
System Stability Index (SSI)
A unique metric that flags hidden weaknesses. A high overall score can mask a critical gap in one section — SSI makes it visible before your auditor does.
⚠️
13 Auditor Red Flags
Specific patterns that trigger immediate auditor attention, explained in plain language with examples from real audits.
📋
Prioritised Action Log
Auto-populated from your scores. Items ranked Critical → High → Medium. Share directly with your team or management before your next audit.
📖
Reference Guide
What each maturity level looks like in practice, what evidence auditors expect at each stage, and why each control exists in the standards.

Standards covered

IFS Food v8 BRCGS Food Safety FSSC 22000 v6 ISO 22000:2018 EU Reg. 178/2002

Who it's for

Built for the people closest to the audit

No theory. No generic checklists. Built from what auditors actually look for.

🔍

QA Managers

Preparing for certification or re-certification. Identify gaps before the auditor arrives.

⚙️

Technical Managers

Understand where your system truly sits — not where your documentation says it does.

📝

Internal Auditors

Run structured traceability verification exercises with consistent, scored outputs.

💼

Food Safety Consultants

Assess client readiness systematically. Share a professional, prioritised action log.

How it works

From download to action plan in one session

45–90 minutes. No training required.

1

Download

Open in Excel or Google Sheets. No setup, no plugins, no account needed.

2

Score yourself

Answer 38 questions across 6 traceability areas. Each question uses a 0–1–2 scale.

3

See your results

Dashboard calculates your score, maturity level, and System Stability Index automatically.

4

Act

The prioritised action log shows exactly what to fix first. Share with your team before the audit.

Common questions

FAQ

Do I need any special software?
No. The tool is an Excel file (.xlsx) that works in Microsoft Excel (2016 or later) and Google Sheets. No plugins, no subscriptions, no additional software required.
How long does it take to complete?
Most users complete the questionnaire in 45–90 minutes. If you need to gather information from production records or colleagues first, allow a few hours. The dashboard and action log populate instantly as you answer.
Which certification standards does it cover?
The tool is mapped to IFS Food v8, BRCGS Food Safety, FSSC 22000 v6, ISO 22000:2018, and EU Regulation 178/2002 (General Food Law). Each question references the relevant standard requirements.
Is this a guarantee of audit success?
No tool can guarantee audit outcomes. The Stress Test gives you an honest, structured view of where your system sits — so you can address gaps before the auditor finds them. It is a preparation tool, not a certification service.
Can I use it for multiple sites or share it with colleagues?
Each purchase covers a single-user licence. For multi-site use or team licences, contact us at info@foodauditlab.com and we'll work out the right arrangement.
Who built this tool?
FoodAuditLab tools are built by a practising food safety auditor with experience across GFSI-recognised certification schemes. The questions and red flags come directly from real audit findings — not from reading standards alone.

Find your gaps.
Before the auditor does.

38 questions. Auto-scoring dashboard. Maturity level. System Stability Index. Prioritised action log. Everything you need in one Excel file.

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Excel (.xlsx) · Works in Microsoft Excel & Google Sheets · Instant download · No setup required