Glossary
The working terms of five industries: what each one means, and where it goes wrong between teams and partners.
Fashion and consumer goods
Spurby for fashion- Tech packThe specification a factory makes a garment from: sketches, measurements, materials, trims, construction and labelling, in one versioned document.
- Lab dipA small swatch of fabric dyed by the mill to match a brand’s colour standard, sent for approval before bulk dyeing.
- Strike-offA printed or embroidered sample of a design on the production fabric, sent for approval of colour, scale and placement before bulk printing.
- Fit sampleA sample garment made to check how a style fits on a body or dress form, with comments that feed the next round and the tech pack.
- PP sampleThe sample made from production fabric and trims, on the production line, that the brand approves before bulk production starts.
- Time and action calendarThe schedule of milestones from order to shipment, such as lab dips, samples, fabric, cutting and inspection, each with an owner and a date.
- Costing sheetThe breakdown of a garment’s cost, including fabric, trims, cut-make-trim, processes and margin, used to reach a target price.
- FOB priceThe price of goods loaded on board the ship at the port of export, after which freight, insurance and risk pass to the buyer.
- Proforma invoiceA preliminary invoice a supplier sends before shipment, confirming quantities, prices and terms, often used to release an advance.
- AQL inspectionA sampling inspection that checks a random sample from a production lot against an allowed number of defects, to accept or reject the lot.
Construction
Spurby for construction- RFIA formal question from a contractor to the design team, asking for clarification of drawings or specifications before work goes ahead.
- SubmittalInformation a contractor submits for the design team’s approval before ordering or installing, such as product data, samples or shop drawings.
- Shop drawingA detailed drawing prepared by a fabricator or subcontractor showing exactly how they will make and install a component.
- Issued for construction (IFC) drawingsThe revision of a drawing formally released for building, as opposed to drafts issued for review, tender or information.
- VariationA formal change to a construction contract’s scope, price or time, usually instructed by the client or its representative.
- Site instructionA written direction to the contractor from the architect, engineer or project manager, issued during construction.
- Notice of claimA contractual notice that a party intends to claim more time or money, which many contracts require within a fixed period.
- Lookahead programmeA short-term construction schedule, usually two to six weeks ahead, setting out which trades do which work and what each needs to be ready.
- Snag listThe list of defects and unfinished items that must be fixed before a building is handed over.
- RA billAn interim bill for work completed so far, based on measured quantities, used for progress payments on Indian construction projects.
Manufacturing and procurement
Spurby for manufacturing- Engineering change notice (ECN)The formal notice that a part’s design has changed, stating the new revision, the reason and when it takes effect.
- PPAPThe process a supplier follows to prove a part and its production process meet the customer’s requirements before series supply.
- First article inspection (FAI)A full inspection of the first part from a new or changed production process, checking every characteristic against the drawing.
- 8D reportA structured problem-solving report in eight steps, from containment to root cause to permanent corrective action, used with suppliers after a defect.
- ConcessionA customer’s permission to use or ship parts that don’t fully meet the specification, limited to a quantity, lot or period.
- Non-conformance report (NCR)A record that a part, material or process doesn’t meet its requirement, with what was found and what happens to the affected items.
- Advance shipping notice (ASN)An electronic notice a supplier sends before a delivery, listing what is in the shipment and when it will arrive.
- Call-offAn instruction to a supplier to deliver a quantity on a date, released against a blanket purchase order.
- Job workIn India, sending inputs or semi-finished goods to another business for processing, such as plating or machining, without transferring ownership.
Logistics and trade
Spurby for logistics- RolloverWhen a shipping line moves a booked container to a later vessel than the one it was booked on.
- Cut-offThe deadlines before a sailing by which a container must reach the terminal and its weight and documents must be filed.
- VGMThe declared total weight of a packed container, required under the SOLAS convention before it can be loaded on a ship.
- Draft bill of ladingThe proposed bill of lading a carrier or forwarder sends for checking before the final, original bill is issued.
- HS codeThe international product classification number customs authorities use to apply duties and controls to traded goods.
- Demurrage and detentionDaily charges for keeping a shipping line’s container beyond its free time: demurrage inside the terminal, detention outside it.
- Free timeThe number of days a container can stay at the terminal or in use before demurrage or detention begins.
- Proof of delivery (POD)The document, usually signed by the consignee, confirming that goods were delivered, with any remarks about shortage or damage.
- Customs house agent (CHA)A licensed agent who files customs declarations and clears goods through customs for importers and exporters.
Pharma and chemicals
Spurby for pharma- Technology transferMoving a manufacturing process or analytical method from one site to another, such as from development to a commercial site or a CDMO.
- Change controlThe quality-system process for proposing, assessing, approving and implementing changes that could affect a product’s quality or registration.
- GMP deviationA departure from an approved procedure, specification or instruction during manufacturing or testing, which must be documented and investigated.
- CAPAThe actions taken to fix the cause of a quality problem and stop it, or similar problems, from happening again.
- Certificate of analysis (CoA)A document from a manufacturer or lab reporting a batch’s test results against its specification.
- Master batch record (MBR)The approved, controlled instructions for making a batch of a product: materials, equipment, steps, parameters and checks.
- Process performance qualification (PPQ)The batches run to show that a commercial manufacturing process consistently produces product of the required quality.
- Quality agreementThe written agreement between a product owner and a contract facility that sets out each party’s GMP responsibilities.
- Out of specification (OOS)A test result outside the approved specification or acceptance criteria, which must be investigated before a batch decision.
- Field alert report (FAR)A report US drug application holders must send the FDA within three working days of learning of certain quality problems with distributed product.
Every one of these is a decision someone makes in a chat.
Spurby keeps the record of each one, and chases what slips.