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Internal audit report template

The report you write after an internal audit of a management system. Record the scope, criteria, objectives, auditee and audit team, then how much of the audit plan was covered and what evidence was sampled. Each finding gets a grade (major nonconformity, minor nonconformity, observation, opportunity for improvement or conformity noted), a clause or procedure reference, the evidence, photos and a scan of the document or equipment label. Tiles count each grade, the form warns if the conclusion does not match the findings, and corrective actions are tracked to sign-off. During the audit itself, use the internal audit checklist.

For internal auditors and quality, health and safety or environmental managers who report ISO-style management system audits to auditees and top management.

Not tied to one country. It suits audits against ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 22301, customer requirements or your own procedures.

  • Audit details with scope, criteria, objectives, auditee and team, and an independence check
  • Audit plan coverage as a percentage, with the reason anything was not fully covered, and the evidence sampled
  • Findings graded major, minor, observation, improvement or conformity, with clause reference, evidence, photos and a label scan
  • Tiles counting each grade and disputed findings, and warnings when the conclusion does not match
  • Report and response dates, follow-up audit date, corrective actions by finding number and two signatures
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What should an internal audit report include?

A report is useful when someone who was not there can follow each finding: the requirement, what was seen and where, and the grade, and when the conclusion matches the findings, says what was not covered, and sets dates for responses and for checking the fixes.

Last updated . Facts checked by the SiteSurvey team on 28 October 2026 against ISO 9001 Auditing Practices Group, guidance on internal audits (ISO and IAF), ISO 9001:2026, quality management systems: requirements (iso.org) and ISO 19011:2026, guidelines for auditing management systems (iso.org).

How to write an internal audit report

Write it straight after the closing meeting, while the evidence is fresh.

  1. Record the audit

    Enter the reference, dates, standard and criteria, processes, auditee, team, objectives and scope.

  2. Show the coverage

    List each item in the audit plan as fully, partly or not covered, and how the sample was chosen.

  3. Write the findings

    Grade each one, give the clause or procedure, the requirement, the evidence and a photo or label scan.

  4. Conclude

    Choose the conclusion against the objectives, note good practice and limits, and set the response and follow-up dates.

  5. Follow up

    Track each corrective action by finding number until it is done and checked, then both sign.

What makes an internal audit report useful

Findings

Finding 1, calibration, major nonconformity. QP-11 section 4: equipment used to accept goods is calibrated before its due date. Goods-in scale GI-SC-EXAMPLE-02 label shows due 30 June 2026; used for 3 deliveries from 1 to 10 October. Scale tagged out during the audit. Response by M. Doherty due 23 October.

Fictional example. Record the actual evidence and approved arrangements for your job.

A common recording mistake

Writing opinions instead of evidence, or concluding the area conforms when a nonconformity has been raised.

What happens next

Send the report to the auditee and the programme manager, track each corrective action by finding number, and verify the fixes on the follow-up date.

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Every question in the internal audit report template

The report written after an internal audit: scope, criteria, auditee and audit team with an independence check, audit plan coverage with a percentage, evidence sampled, findings graded Major NC, Minor NC, Observation, Opportunity for improvement or Conformity noted, each with a clause reference, evidence, photos and a label scan of the document or equipment reference, tiles counting each grade, the conclusion with mismatch warnings, follow-up dates, and corrective action follow-up and sign-off. 5 sections and 80 questions. Follow-up questions and guidance appear only when an answer calls for them, so the person on site never sees the ones that do not apply.

Make it your own: every question is editable

This is a starting point, not a fixed form. Once it is in your SiteSurvey account you can reword any question, add or remove questions, sections and answer options, and add your own logo, so it fits the way your team works and the jobs you do.

Details you only enter once

Add this form to a project in SiteSurvey and it fills in what the project already knows, so nobody on site retypes it and every form on the job uses the same names. Anything filled in can still be changed.

  • Project: the project name
  • Site audited: the site address, from the space or the project
  • Organisation: the project's customer

Audit details

  • ProjectShort answer

    Filled in from the project in SiteSurvey.

    Fills in from the project name
  • Site auditedShort answer
    Fills in from the site address, from the space or the project
  • OrganisationShort answer
    Fills in from the project's customer
  • Location (GPS)Short answer
  • Audit date*Date
  • Lead auditor*Short answer
  • Audit reference*Short answer
  • Audit programme entryShort answer

    Optional. Which entry in the audit programme this is.

  • Last day of the auditDate

    Leave blank for a one-day audit.

  • Type of audit*Choose one
    • Planned audit from the programme
    • Follow-up of an earlier audit
    • Triggered by an incident, complaint or change
    • Pre-certification or pre-surveillance check
  • Earlier audit being followed up*Short answer
    Shown when “Type of audit” is “Follow-up of an earlier audit”
  • Main standard or criteria*Choose one
    • ISO 9001:2026
    • ISO 9001:2015
    • ISO 14001
    • ISO 45001
    • ISO/IEC 27001
    • ISO 22301
    • Customer or sector requirements
    • Internal procedures only
    • Other (describe)
  • Audit criteria*Notes

    The clauses, procedures, contracts or legal requirements audited against, with revisions.

  • Processes or areas audited*Short answer
  • Auditee*Short answer

    The person responsible for the area audited.

  • Other auditors and observersShort answer
  • Audit team independent of the work audited?*Yes or No
  • Which part, and how objectivity was kept*Notes
    Shown when “Audit team independent of the work audited?” is No
  • Audit objectives*Notes
  • Scope and exclusions*Notes
  • Opening meeting held?Yes or No
  • Closing meeting held with the auditee?*Yes or No
  • CheckThe audit team was involved in the work audited. Say how objectivity was kept; the reader will weigh the findings with that in mind.
    Shown when “Audit team independent of the work audited?” is No
  • CheckThis report supports a management system record. It does not certify conformity with any standard. For the checklist used during the audit, see the internal audit checklist.
  • CheckISO 9001:2015 was withdrawn on 16 September 2026 when ISO 9001:2026 was published. Quote clause numbers from the edition you audited against.
    Shown only when the answers above make it relevant

Audit plan coverage and evidence sampled

  • Audit plan
    Repeat for each entry. Each one asks:
    • Clause, process or activity in the audit plan*Short answer
    • Covered*Choose one
      • Fully
      • Partly
      • Not covered
    • Why not fully covered*Short answer
      Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
  • Plan itemsWorked out by the form
  • Fully coveredWorked out by the form
  • Coverage (%)Worked out by the form

    Partly covered items count as half.

  • CheckPart of the audit plan was not covered. Say so in the conclusion and plan when it will be audited.
    Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
  • Records and documents sampledNumber
  • People interviewedNumber
  • Activities observedNumber
  • How the sample was chosenNotes

    For example 10 purchase orders from August and September, picked from the system list.

Findings

  • GuidanceOne entry per finding. Write each one so someone who was not there can follow it: the requirement, what you saw, and where. Record conformities too, so the report shows what was checked and found right.
  • Findings
    Repeat for each entry. Each one asks:
    • Process or area*Short answer
    • Clause or requirement reference*Short answer

      From your own copy of the standard, or the procedure number.

    • Grade*Choose one

      Major: a requirement not met at all, or a failure that affects the product, service or legal compliance. Minor: a single lapse that does not affect the result. Observation: could become a nonconformity. Opportunity for improvement: a better way. These are this form's meanings; use your organisation's if different.

      • Major nonconformity
      • Minor nonconformity
      • Observation
      • Opportunity for improvement
      • Conformity noted
    • What the requirement says*Notes

      In your own words, or the procedure step.

      Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
    • Evidence seen*Notes

      What, where, which record or sample. Facts someone else could check.

    • Document, record or equipment referenceShort answer
    • Scan the document number or equipment labelScan a label: document number, revision, asset or equipment number, calibration due date

      Optional. Scan the label or the document header so the reference is exact.

    • Photos of the evidencePhotos
    • WarningMajor nonconformity. Tell the audit programme manager and the auditee's manager now, and plan a follow-up to verify the correction.
      Shown when “Grade” is “Major nonconformity”
    • Correction already made or agreedNotes

      What was done straight away, for example the batch held.

      Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
    • Who will respond*Short answer
      Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
    • Root cause and corrective action due*Date
      Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
    • Auditee agrees with the finding?Yes or No
      Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
    • Auditee's view*Notes
      Shown when “Auditee agrees with the finding?” is No
  • Major nonconformitiesWorked out by the form
  • Minor nonconformitiesWorked out by the form
  • ObservationsWorked out by the form
  • Opportunities for improvementWorked out by the form
  • Conformities notedWorked out by the form
  • Disputed by the auditeeWorked out by the form

Conclusion and follow-up

  • Nonconformities in totalWorked out by the form
  • What the findings showWorked out by the form
  • Overall conclusion*Choose one
    • Conforms and is effective
    • Conforms, with minor nonconformities to correct
    • Does not conform in the areas audited
    • Audit not completed
  • WarningThe conclusion says the area conforms with nothing to correct, but nonconformities were raised. Check the conclusion.
    Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
  • WarningA major nonconformity was raised but the conclusion says the area conforms. Check the conclusion.
    Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
  • Conclusion against the audit objectives*Notes
  • Good practice seenNotes
  • Limits on the auditNotes

    Anything not seen, people not available, records not found.

  • Report issued on*Date
  • All responses due by*Date
    Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
  • CheckThe responses are due before the report is issued. Check the dates.
    Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
  • Days the auditee has to respondWorked out by the form
    Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
  • Follow-up audit needed?*Yes or No
  • Follow-up audit by*Date
    Shown when “Follow-up audit needed?” is Yes
  • CheckA major nonconformity was raised but no follow-up audit is planned. Plan one, or record how the correction will be verified.
    Shown only when the answers above make it relevant
  • Report sent toShort answer

    For example the auditee, their manager, the audit programme manager.

Corrective action follow-up and sign-off

  • Nonconformities raisedWorked out by the form
  • ResultWorked out by the form
  • Corrective actions to verify
    Repeat for each action for finding. Each one asks:
    • Finding number*Short answer
    • Action*Notes
    • PriorityChoose one
      • Major: correct now
      • Minor: by the response date
      • Observation: at the next audit
      • Improvement: when possible
    • Who will do it*Short answer
    • Due byDate
    • Status*Choose one
      • Open
      • In progress
      • Done, checked
    • Photo when donePhotos
      Shown when “Status” is “Done, checked”
  • Actions still openWorked out by the form
  • Decision*Choose one
    • Closed: no follow-up needed
    • Open until the corrective actions are verified
    • Follow-up audit required
  • Date to verify the actionsDate
  • Summary for the auditee and managementNotes
  • Lead auditor nameShort answer
  • Lead auditor signature*Signature
  • Auditee nameShort answer
  • Auditee signatureSignature

See it filled in

A completed internal audit report report, made by SiteSurvey from a fictional site visit: every answer, the photos, the guidance that applied and the sign-off, ready to send as a PDF.

See completed form (PDF) ↗

Internal audit report FAQs

Is this for financial internal audit?

No. Many people searching for an internal audit report template want a corporate or financial internal audit report. This form is for management system audits, such as quality, health and safety, environmental or information security systems, where findings are graded against a standard or a procedure.

What is the difference between a major and a minor nonconformity?

Organisations and certification bodies define their own grades. In this form, a major nonconformity is a requirement not met at all, or a failure that affects the product, service or legal compliance; a minor is a single lapse that does not affect the result; an observation could become a nonconformity; and an opportunity for improvement is a better way. The form says to use your own definitions if they differ.

Why record conformities as well as nonconformities?

So the report shows what was checked and found right, not only what went wrong. ISO 9004:2018, quoted by the ISO 9001 Auditing Practices Group, says internal auditing can also be focused on identifying good practices and improvement opportunities, and on monitoring progress on problems found earlier.

Source: ISO 9001 Auditing Practices Group, guidance on internal audits (ISO and IAF).

How is this different from the internal audit checklist?

The checklist is used during the audit, question by question. This report is written afterwards: the coverage of the audit plan, the graded findings with evidence, the conclusion and the follow-up. Many teams use both, and record the report reference in the audit programme.

Which edition of ISO 9001 should findings refer to?

The edition you audited against. ISO 9001:2026 was published in September 2026 and ISO 9001:2015 is withdrawn; ISO says certified organisations transition within the timeframe set by their certification cycle. Take clause numbers from your own copy, because the form does not quote the standard.

Source: ISO 9001:2026, quality management systems: requirements (iso.org).

Do I have to follow ISO 19011?

No. ISO 19011 gives guidelines for auditing management systems, and the current edition is ISO 19011:2026, published in May 2026. ISO notes it is guidance and does not itself lead to certification, and the ISO 9001 Auditing Practices Group notes that ISO 9001 does not require organisations to use it. This report does not quote it, and it is a record, not a certificate of conformity.

Sources: ISO 19011:2026, guidelines for auditing management systems (iso.org) and ISO 9001 Auditing Practices Group, guidance on internal audits (ISO and IAF).

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