Does inspection approval authorise shipment?
Do not treat inspection approval as blanket permission to pack, ship or pay. Check the existing order terms and instructions, then agree separate releases identifying the goods, evidence, conditions and named approver for each action. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate factory evidence through its staff in China.
Clarify what has already been authorised
For an order already in production, collect the purchase order, agreed terms and subsequent instructions. Look for wording connecting a passed inspection to packing, dispatch or payment. Do not assume a new approval register changes an existing agreement. Ask the seller to acknowledge the separate release process and resolve any conflicting instructions before the next action.
Replace messages such as “looks good” with an explicit scope: “Inspection report accepted for the identified batch. Packing, shipment and balance payment remain awaiting separate approval.” Confirm the current production and packing stage before issuing this instruction. Use the quality inspection guide for inspection methods; this guide addresses what the resulting decision authorises.
Keep a separate record for each decision
Keep an approval register in the order folder. Each entry should identify the order, batch, product variants and quantities covered; the decision status; evidence filenames and revisions; conditions; the person responsible for closing them; the named approver and their role; and the date and time of approval. Attach the actual evidence and approval message, rather than relying on a changing shared link.
Use statuses such as awaiting evidence, held and released. A conditional approval should state whether any action may begin while conditions remain open. Prefer an explicit release after evidence has been checked. Record who may approve each action and who may act as a substitute; the inspector supplying evidence need not be the buyer authorising the next step.
| Decision | Evidence to attach | Scope and suggested approver |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection acceptance | Report, specification revision, defect photographs and recheck results | Identified goods and accepted exceptions; named quality approver |
| Packing release | Packing specification, label artwork and trial-pack photographs | Approved packing work and any checks before sealing; named packing approver |
| Shipment release | Final packing list, dispatch evidence, transport instructions and document checks | Identified cartons, destination and authorised handover; named logistics approver |
| Balance payment release | Invoice, verified beneficiary and evidence that agreed payment conditions are met | Approved amount, currency and payee; named finance approver |
Make conditions specific enough to close
Avoid “ship once defects are fixed”. Identify the affected goods, correction, evidence required and person who will check it. For example: “Hold dispatch of the affected batch until replacement labels have been checked against the approved artwork and the packing list has been reconciled.” Keep the original defect evidence alongside the correction evidence.
Packing permission may cover a trial pack, protective packing or final sealing. Say which, and identify any inspection access that must remain available. If goods were inspected before final packing, record the checks still outstanding. For changes after inspection, use the repacking and relabelling guide rather than carrying the earlier approval forward without review.
Separate dispatch permission from payment
Check the evidence against the agreed payment trigger. Inspection acceptance alone does not demonstrate that packing, documents or beneficiary checks are complete. The balance payment checklist covers those checks. Record the payment release separately and keep the bank confirmation as evidence of execution, not as a substitute for approval.
Define shipment release as permission for a specified handover, not merely permission to request a freight quote. Distinguish factory dispatch from later cargo release using the cargo release guide. HMRC says you remain responsible for customs declaration due diligence when appointing someone to handle customs. Keep the customs document review visible in the shipment record.
Issue clear instructions and preserve the history
Send the current release status to the seller, factory contact, forwarder and finance contact as appropriate. Ask each recipient to acknowledge the instruction relevant to them. Record what has actually happened separately from what was authorised: packing completed, goods handed over or payment sent. Silence, a booking confirmation or a report marked “pass” should not serve as your internal approval.
If the goods, packing, destination, beneficiary or evidence change, mark the affected release for review and issue a revised instruction. Preserve the earlier decision and record what superseded it. Ask Cambridge China Bridge’s staff in China to gather and reconcile factory evidence, while keeping the buyer’s named approvers and their authority explicit.
Frequently asked questions
Does a passed inspection mean the factory can ship?
Check the agreed order terms and earlier instructions. In your approval process, record shipment permission explicitly against identified goods and evidence; do not rely on a report marked “pass”.
Can I approve packing but hold shipment?
Agree that scope with the seller. Specify the packing work permitted, checks still outstanding and who can release dispatch. Ask the factory to acknowledge the hold.
Who should approve the balance payment?
Name a person with payment authority under your business’s arrangements. They should check the agreed payment conditions and beneficiary evidence, then record their approval separately from inspection acceptance.
How do I record approval given in a message?
Save the message with its sender and timestamp in the order folder. Record the action, batch, evidence revision and conditions it covers. Ask for clarification if “approved” leaves the scope unclear.