Machining sample-to-purchasing follow-up sheet
Keep technical feedback separate from the next approved commercial decision.
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| Sample reference | Evaluated version | Technical feedback reference | Purchasing decision status | Requested next commercial action | Next review date | Office owner role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample-example-8 | Evaluated-version-example | Feedback-record-example | Production order unresolved | Fictional review date | Buyer-account-role |
- Starting records are fictional examples, not merchant evidence.
- Keep private documents and actual contacts in your approved business system. Use internal reference codes here.
- Missing required fields indicate an unresolved record. Filled fields do not prove authorization, completion, compatibility or compliance.
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A machining sample accepted by engineering is not automatically a production order. Record the technical feedback and purchasing decision as separate milestones. Ask the authorized buyer what remains unresolved before creating a production commitment or payment request. Your CRM should show whether the next step needs a revised sample, commercial review or an actual purchase order, rather than marking every positive comment as won work.
Use with this guide
first-article communication handoff guide
The first-article communication handoff guide separates feedback roles and commercial decisions.
prototype payment transfer ledger
Review the prototype payment transfer ledger if an accepted production order needs a previous collection allocation.
Browse the complete machine shop guides and worksheets.
Retrieve the sample’s actual decision record
Match the sample to its order reference, version and approved evaluation scope. Retrieve feedback through the established customer contact route. A delivery acknowledgment only confirms its own event. It does not necessarily prove technical acceptance or production approval. Keep the supporting documents in the controlled shop system and record which role supplied each answer.
It is essential to clarify whether the feedback provided is in relation to the version of the sample that was actually submitted or whether it relates to a proposed amendment. Feedback which indicates that additional features are required will need to go through a full technical and commercial review process. The public worksheet has been designed to be a simple means of tracking sample follow-up and should not contain drawings, tolerance information or customers’ confidential test results. The first-article communication handoff guide separates feedback roles and commercial decisions.
Identify the purchasing question after technical feedback
Check with the buyer’s permitted purchasing contact if the buyer has approved a production quantity and a purchasing timeline. Also check if there is an approved commercial review route. Engineering enthusiasm to go ahead with a production order does not authorize a deposit, purchase of materials for a production order or a booking of production slots by the office. This needs to be checked by the production estimator and production coordinator before a price can be offered and a delivery commitment given to the office.
The sample follow-up sheet records the sample reference, evaluated version, technical feedback reference, purchasing decision status, requested next commercial action, review date and office owner. It does not assess technical conformance or calculate demand. Its purpose is an owned handoff between the sample answer and the purchasing question. Keep customer names and private feedback outside the public tool.
Read a fictional positive response without inflating sales
Consider a fictional sample receiving favorable engineering feedback on October 10. Purchasing has not approved a quantity or issued a production order. The CRM should show technical feedback recorded and purchasing unresolved. It should not report a production win or a collected deposit. This example is not a real customer story, a recommended purchasing timetable or a claim about typical machining conversion rates.
If the buyer later requests a revised quote for 200 units, record the request and route it to estimating. A requested quantity is not an accepted order. Preserve any sample payment allocation separately from the new production proposal. The actual prototype and production terms determine whether a reviewed credit applies, rather than a universal assumption that every sample payment transfers automatically.
Follow up with the relevant decision owner
Send a concise question tied to the unresolved milestone and current version. Use the buyer’s approved route and contact preferences. FTC guidance on commercial email addresses marketing requirements and opt-outs, not permission for unrestricted SMS outreach. Avoid a blanket automation sending production promotions to every person copied on the sample discussion. Each contact role should match the actual task.
After the answer, update the supported stage and next owner. Keep open opportunities out of resolved win-rate calculations and retain a separate reason if the buyer declines production. Review recurring sample follow-up gaps to improve the commercial handoff, without promising a higher conversion rate from a template. The owner should know what the sample established, what purchasing has decided and what remains unapproved. Review the prototype payment transfer ledger if an accepted production order needs a previous collection allocation.
Primary sources
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