How to write a spec sheet so your Chinese supplier gets it right the first time

An uncomfortable truth about sourcing in China: a large share of defects are not the factory's fault, but the result of unclear instructions. If you leave details open to interpretation, the supplier will decide for you, and rarely in your favour. The tool to avoid this is the spec sheet.

What a spec sheet is

It is the document that describes your product without ambiguity: materials, dimensions, colours, tolerances, finishes, labelling and packaging. It is the reference used both by the factory to produce and by the inspector to verify. If it is not in the spec sheet, it cannot be demanded.

What it must include

• Materials and components: type of material, weight, thickness, quality, supplier of components if critical.
• Dimensions and tolerances: exact dimensions and the acceptable margin (for example, ±2 mm). Without a defined tolerance, any deviation is debatable.
• Colour: Pantone reference, never just "blue". On-screen colour is not enough.
• Finishes: textures, treatments, prints, logos and their placement.
• Labelling and marking: labels, barcodes, mandatory symbols, country of origin.
• Packaging: individual box, master carton, quantity per box, weight and dimensions.
• Applicable regulations: mandatory certifications (CE, RoHS, etc.) where they apply.

Back it up with images and samples

A text is open to interpretation; an annotated image and a physical sample much less so. Accompany the spec sheet with marked-up photos, dimensioned drawings and, whenever possible, an approved reference sample.

Define the acceptance criteria

The spec sheet not only states what the product is, but also what is considered acceptable. Indicate the AQL level for critical, major and minor defects, and which type of defect triggers rejection of the batch. This gives the inspector an objective criterion.

Keep it alive

Every change agreed by chat or email must be added to the spec sheet and signed off again. An outdated spec sheet creates the same confusion as having none at all.

With R'S WARE, these procedures are easier

Writing a complete spec sheet, in the format Chinese factories understand and in their language, makes the difference between receiving what you ordered or an "approximate" version. At R'S WARE we prepare spec sheets with your suppliers, translate them into Chinese, validate them against a sample and use them as the basis for the inspection. We remove ambiguity at the source, which is where problems are prevented.