TS ISO 10013

TS ISO 10013 is a guidance standard for developing, preparing, and controlling quality manuals tailored to an organisation’s specific needs. A quality manual is a high-level document that brings together the structure of the quality system, responsibilities, and the main framework of how quality-related activities are managed; this standard focuses on how that document should be organised and controlled.

Rather than setting sector-specific mandatory technical requirements, the standard supports the creation of quality manuals that are consistent, usable, and adapted to the user’s context. In general technical practice, a quality manual serves as an umbrella reference for procedures, process interactions, and management responsibilities, so clear terminology and disciplined document control are essential to quality management.

The role of the quality manual

A quality manual commonly describes the organisation’s quality policy, scope, process structure, and related responsibilities. The focus of TS ISO 10013 is the preparation of that document so it matches its intended use and remains under control throughout its lifecycle. That makes the manual a shared reference for training, internal communication, internal audits, and the overall understanding of the quality system.

Why control and revision management matter

A quality manual is a living document: as the organisation changes, processes, roles, and references may also change. For that reason, control is not only about writing the manual, but also about ensuring the correct version is distributed, revisions are traceable, and obsolete copies are prevented. This standard provides guidance for that discipline in document management.

• Creating a quality manual adapted to the organisation’s own needs
• Maintaining consistency and clarity in the manual’s preparation
• Controlling issue, distribution, and revision of the document
• Providing a high-level reference framework for the quality system