Most companies discover the shortcomings in their documentation during an audit. That is the most expensive time to discover them — both in terms of time and reputation. A documentation audit from Contenza finds the gaps before an external auditor does.

When does an audit make sense?

  • You are CE marking a machine and are unsure whether the technical file and user manual are complete
  • You are preparing for ISO 9001 certification or recertification
  • EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 takes effect January 2027 — and you want to know if you are ready
  • You have taken over a company and want a clear picture of the state of the documentation
  • Your company has outgrown its original procedures and you want an overview
  • You have had an accident or near-miss and want to ensure that the documentation is in order

What do we review?

We review your existing documentation systematically against the relevant requirements. Which standards and regulations are relevant depends on your company and industry — we tailor the scope to your specific situation.

EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230

Is the technical file complete? Is the user manual correctly structured with the required sections? Is cybersecurity documentation present for machines with digital components? Is the risk assessment sufficiently documented, including foreseeable misuse?

IEC/IEEE 82079-1:2019

Is the structure and content of the user manuals in accordance with the standard? Is there clear audience separation? Are warning levels correctly applied? Is the language at the right competence level for the user?

ISO 9001

Is the SOP structure complete for the processes that affect product quality? Is there a revision history? Is there clearly documented ownership? Do the procedures correspond to the processes that are actually carried out?

HACCP

Are critical control points documented with associated procedures? Are there corrective action plans? Is monitoring documentation complete?

Language coverage

Is the documentation available in all the languages necessary to fulfil the legal requirement for comprehensible safety instructions? Is the quality of the translations adequate?

It is not about criticism: A documentation audit is not an assessment of your company. It is a mapping of the distance between what you have and what is required. That distance can be closed — but only if you know what it is.

How an audit proceeds

  1. 01
    Scoping

    We clarify which standards and regulations are relevant for your company and your machine or processes. We define the scope of the audit — what we review, and what is out of scope.

  2. 02
    Document collection

    You send us your existing documentation. We are discreet with what we receive and work within agreed confidentiality frameworks. No existing material? We map what is missing from scratch.

  3. 03
    Systematic review

    We assess each document against the requirements in the relevant standards and regulations — point by point. Not a general impression, but a structured analysis.

  4. 04
    Gap report

    You receive a clear report with traffic light status for each requirement: what is in order, what is missing, and what is incorrectly structured. With specific references to the relevant requirement clauses.

  5. 05
    Prioritised action plan

    We don't just deliver a list of problems. We prioritise: what is critical (blocker for audit), what is important (should be resolved soon), what is desirable (best practice). With effort estimates so you can plan realistically.

  6. 06
    Review and next steps

    We have a call and go through the report. You understand exactly what you are looking at and what the next steps are. We can take on the task of closing the gaps — or you can do it yourself using our action plan as a starting point.

What do you get?

  • Structured gap report with traffic light status (OK / Missing / Critical) for each requirement
  • Specific references to requirement clauses in the relevant standards and regulations
  • Prioritised action plan with effort estimates
  • Clear distinction between what are blockers and what is nice-to-have
  • Basis for realistic planning of the documentation update
  • Confidence to enter an audit or certification process with open eyes

Order a documentation audit

Tell us briefly about your situation — which machine or processes it concerns, and what is driving the need. We then assess the scope and what it requires.

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