Who owns each decision on a China order?
Let procurement own supplier commitments, engineering own the specification, quality own acceptance evidence and finance own payment authorisation. Name an order owner to coordinate handovers and escalate unresolved holds before release. Cambridge China Bridge can gather factory evidence through its own staff in China.
Assign decisions before asking for quotes
Write a responsibility sheet with named people, deputies, decisions they can approve and reasons they can place a hold. Appoint an order owner to keep the record current and a senior sponsor to resolve disputes outside departmental authority. These are suggested internal controls; adapt them to your organisation.
The sourcing brief guide covers what to ask an agent to verify. Add who accepts that evidence and who can authorise a supplier commitment. Use the order and payment approval guide alongside this division of departmental responsibility.
| Department | Owns | Hands over |
|---|---|---|
| Procurement | Supplier selection, negotiated terms and authorised factory instructions | Agreed quotation, order terms and supplier acknowledgements |
| Engineering | Specification, technical changes and fitness for intended use | Controlled drawings, approved sample references and change decisions |
| Quality | Inspection plan, acceptance evidence and closure of quality holds | Batch-linked reports, defect findings and verification of corrective work |
| Finance | Budget availability, payment checks and payment authorisation | Verified payment details, invoice reconciliation and payment status |
Make handovers explicit
Before procurement places the order, engineering should identify the approved specification revision and quality should define the acceptance checks. Finance should confirm the funding and payment conditions. Procurement then gives the factory the agreed package and obtains acknowledgement. Follow the product specification guide for the contents rather than recreating them in departmental emails.
For each handover, record the order and batch identity, document revision, decision, supporting evidence, open conditions and receiving person's acknowledgement. A sent email is insufficient if the recipient cannot identify which version to use. Return incomplete packages to the sender with the missing item named.
Separate production, shipment and payment release
Record each release separately. Production release should refer to the agreed technical package and commercial commitment. Shipment release should refer to the actual batch and accepted inspection evidence. Payment release should refer to the invoice and agreed payment conditions. Sample approval should not automatically release a production batch, and payment approval should not automatically authorise shipment.
Have the order owner assemble the release record, with each department approving within its authority. Use explicit statuses such as approved, held or approved subject to named conditions. Keep a hold active until its owner records closure or the agreed escalation process resolves it. Silence should never count as approval.
Resolve disagreements using evidence
When departments disagree, write the disputed requirement, affected batch, evidence, missing information and options: rework, further checks, partial shipment or continued hold. Each department should explain the effect on performance, quality, cash and delivery. Procurement should obtain factory responses without promising acceptance while the decision remains open.
Ask the senior sponsor to decide commercial trade-offs within the agreed authority. For a proposed concession on a cosmetic defect, record engineering's assessment, quality's findings, affected goods and the sponsor's reason. Keep unresolved safety or compliance concerns on hold and obtain appropriate specialist advice. UK businesses making, importing, distributing or selling consumer products are responsible for their safety.
Set an internal decision deadline and name who will obtain the missing evidence. If the deadline passes, escalate the unresolved hold; do not let urgency become approval. After corrective work, use the corrective action closure guide to assess the evidence before closing the issue.
Give the China team clear instructions
Route factory instructions through a named procurement contact. Engineering and quality can discuss technical findings directly, but changes affecting specification, cost or delivery should return to the shared decision record before procurement authorises them. Tell the factory who can issue instructions and how to recognise an approved revision.
Cambridge China Bridge's own staff in China can gather factory acknowledgements, inspect goods and report findings against the agreed brief. Agree what evidence is needed for each departmental decision. Keep the buyer's acceptance and payment authority explicit, and send the China team the recorded release decision before asking them to arrange shipment.
Frequently asked questions
Who should own a China purchase order?
Procurement should own supplier commitments, with a named order owner coordinating engineering, quality and finance approvals. Write down which decisions need escalation before placing the order.
Can procurement override a failed inspection?
Use the agreed escalation process. Record the defect, affected batch and technical assessment before any concession. Keep unresolved safety or compliance concerns on hold.
Does paying the balance mean goods can ship?
Keep payment and shipment approvals separate. Finance checks payment conditions; shipment release refers to the actual batch, accepted evidence and closed holds.
What if engineering and quality disagree?
Identify the disputed requirement and evidence needed. Engineering assesses intended use; quality assesses acceptance evidence. Escalate unresolved trade-offs to the named sponsor and record the decision.