Project Record Guide
How to Define Steel Structure Records Without Calling Every Photo an Inspection
Project records and formal inspection have different purposes. Progress records show what was visible and when; formal inspection records show checks performed by the responsible quality or third-party role.
Buyer Guidance
Create a record index before order. For each item, define the stage, required format, responsible party, due point, review status, and whether it is a progress record, factory QC record, material document, or third-party inspection record.
Decision Framework
Classify each record by issuer, purpose, and status.
| Control area | What to define |
|---|---|
| Progress record | Dated status photo or note linked to a production milestone |
| Factory QC record | Check performed and signed under the factory quality process |
| Material document | Agreed material certificate or traceability reference |
| Third-party record | Inspection or release document issued by the appointed inspection party |
| Handover record | Packing, loading, export, or final document status |
Buyer Checklist
Define the record index and acceptance route before production.
- Name the responsible record issuer.
- Define the required format before production.
- Link records to drawing revision and member marks when relevant.
- Set hold points before work passes the stage.
- Track missing and commented documents visibly.
- Keep coordination photos separate from formal certificates.
Scope and Responsibilities
Separate visibility records from formal inspection and acceptance.
YYN may coordinate and compile agreed records. The party named in the contract remains responsible for performing and signing formal inspection or testing.
Document Index Design
Define the issuer, stage, status, and acceptance role for every required record.
Build the index before production release. For each record, state the document name, covered scope, drawing or specification reference, responsible issuer, planned submission stage, file format, reviewer, and final status. Keep material documents, factory quality-control records, progress records, independent inspection reports, packing records, and shipping documents in separate categories so one type is not presented as another.
Use a controlled status such as planned, submitted, commented, accepted, rejected, or superseded. Record revisions rather than overwriting earlier files. If a hold point or witness point applies, identify who gives release and what happens when the required party is unavailable. At handover, the index should show both the files delivered and any agreed exception. This makes the document package auditable without claiming that YYN coordination notes or ordinary photos are certificates.
Buyer FAQ
Practical questions about this topic
Is a welding photo a weld inspection record?
It is a progress record unless the contract-defined inspection party performs and documents the required formal inspection.
When should the document index be created?
Before formal order or production release, while the responsible parties can still plan the records.
Can YYN arrange third-party inspection?
It can be coordinated when separately agreed, but the appointed inspector performs and issues the formal record.
Related Buyer Guide
Material Identity Detail
Need to connect a material document and heat or lot reference to a finished member mark? Use the steel material traceability records guide. It covers the narrower identity chain; this page continues to cover the wider set of progress, QC, material, inspection, and handover records.
Apply this guide to your project
Send the available documents and the decision you need to make next.
YYN will identify missing inputs, open assumptions, and the next sourcing or production-review step without replacing project engineering.
