Dispute Resolution

The dispute process allows auditees to formally challenge audit findings they believe are inaccurate or unjustified. This page covers how to submit a dispute, review dispute details, and resolve disputes.

Dispute workflow

Finding (Open) --> Dispute Submitted --> Dispute Under Review --> Resolution Decision

Submit a dispute

A dispute can be submitted when a finding is in Open status and has no active dispute.

1. On the finding detail page, select Dispute.
2. In the Dispute Reason field, enter a clear explanation of why the finding is being challenged.
3. Optionally, enter Supporting Evidence with additional document references or context.
4. Optionally, upload Supporting Documents by selecting the upload area and choosing files.
5. Select Submit Dispute.

Caution

The dispute reason is required and should be thorough. Provide clear, factual reasoning to help the reviewer make an informed decision. Vague disputes are more likely to be maintained as-is.

Dispute statuses

Status	Internal Value	Description
None	none	No dispute has been filed.
Disputed	disputed	A dispute has been submitted and is awaiting resolution.
Dispute Resolved	dispute_resolved	The dispute has been reviewed and a resolution decision has been made.
Dispute Withdrawn	dispute_withdrawn	The dispute or finding has been withdrawn.

Resolve a dispute

Only users with Admin, QA Team, or Lead Auditor roles can resolve disputes.

1. Open the finding detail page for a disputed finding.
2. Select Resolve Dispute.
3. Review the Dispute Information panel showing who disputed, when, and their stated reason.
4. Under Resolution Action, select one of the four options:

Action	Effect	Description
Accept Dispute	Finding withdrawn	Accept the dispute and withdraw the finding.
Maintain Finding	Finding unchanged	The dispute is resolved but the original finding remains.
Update Finding	Severity may change	Adjust the finding based on dispute evidence.
Withdraw Finding	Finding removed	Remove the finding from the audit entirely.

5. If you selected Update Finding, select the new severity from the Updated Severity dropdown (Critical, Major, Minor, or Observation).
6. Enter Resolution Notes explaining your decision.
7. Select Resolve Dispute.

Note

All dispute submissions and resolutions are recorded in the finding’s comment thread as status updates, maintaining a complete audit trail.

View dispute information

When a finding has been disputed, the finding card displays:

• A yellow Disputed badge next to the finding status.
• The dispute reason in a highlighted yellow panel.
• The dispute information on the finding detail page.

After resolution:

• The badge updates to Resolved (green) or Withdrawn (gray).
• Resolution details are visible in the finding history.

Permissions

Action	Who Can Do It
Submit a dispute	Any user viewing the finding (when finding is open, no prior dispute)
Resolve a dispute	Admin, QA Team, or Lead Auditor
View dispute details	Any user with access to the finding

Tip

• Be specific when writing dispute reasons. Reference specific documents, procedures, or evidence.
• Attach supporting files whenever possible to strengthen the dispute case.
• Respond promptly to disputes to keep the audit on schedule.
• Document resolution rationale thoroughly in the resolution notes for future reference and regulatory compliance.

Practical example: disputing a finding about calibration records

Scenario: During a supplier audit of Precision Instruments Ltd, auditor James Park raised finding AUD-2026-007-F003 (“Missing calibration records for CMM-04”) with Major severity. The auditee, David Nguyen (Supplier Quality Lead), believes the records exist but were stored in a different system that the auditor did not review.

Step 1: Submit the dispute

1. David opens finding AUD-2026-007-F003 from the Findings tab.
2. He selects Dispute.
3. He enters the following:
   • Dispute Reason: “Calibration records for CMM-04 are maintained in the MetrologyTrack system, not in the shared quality drive that was reviewed during the audit. Records CAL-2025-0412, CAL-2025-0819, and CAL-2026-0115 cover the last three calibration cycles. The auditor was not informed about MetrologyTrack during the walkthrough due to an oversight on our part.”
   • Supporting Evidence: “See attached export from MetrologyTrack showing calibration history for CMM-04 from January 2025 to present, including certificates from National Calibration Services.”
4. David uploads the MetrologyTrack export PDF and the three calibration certificates.
5. He selects Submit Dispute. The finding now shows a yellow Disputed badge.

Step 2: Resolve the dispute

1. Sarah Chen (Lead Auditor) opens the disputed finding and selects Resolve Dispute.
2. She reviews the Dispute Information panel and the attached calibration certificates.
3. She confirms the records are valid but notes that the calibration system was not disclosed during the audit scope review.
4. Under Resolution Action, she selects Update Finding and changes the severity from Major to Minor.
5. She enters resolution notes: “Calibration records for CMM-04 were verified in the MetrologyTrack system. Records are complete and current. Severity downgraded from Major to Minor because the records exist but the failure to disclose the MetrologyTrack system during scope review indicates a gap in the supplier’s audit readiness process. Recommend the supplier maintain a register of all quality-relevant systems for future audits.”
6. She selects Resolve Dispute. The dispute status updates to Dispute Resolved and the finding severity is updated to Minor.

The entire dispute exchange — submission, evidence, and resolution — is recorded in the finding’s comment thread for full traceability.

Related topics

• Audit findings
• Audit reports