# Write a corrective action plan for a recurring quality problem

A CAPA plan that contains the problem, finds the root cause, fixes it, and proves the fix worked.

- Topic: Projects & Operations
- Framework: RTF
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Write, Plan, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/write-a-corrective-action-plan-for-a-recurring-quality-problem

## Prompt

```text
Help me write a corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plan.

**The problem:** [WHAT - e.g. "mislabeled cartons", "wrong orders shipped", "dimension out of tolerance"]
**How often and how we know:** [DATA - occurrences, rate, trend, how it was detected]
**Impact:** [customer complaints, returns, rework cost, compliance]
**What we've already tried:** [PREVIOUS FIXES]
**Process involved:** [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OR STEPS]

Structure the plan:
1. **Problem statement:** what, where, when, how much - one precise paragraph (no causes yet).
2. **Containment:** how we protect customers right now (inspect, quarantine, sort), with an end condition.
3. **Root cause analysis:** walk through 5 Whys and a fishbone (people, method, machine, material, measurement, environment). Show which causes are confirmed by data and which still need verifying [VERIFY].
4. **Corrective actions:** fix the confirmed root cause; owner and date for each.
5. **Preventive actions:** where else could this happen (other lines, products, sites)?
6. **Verification:** what measure and time window will prove the fix worked, and the target.
7. **Standardize:** what documents, training, or checks change.

Point out if earlier fixes treated a symptom rather than the cause. Don't invent data; use [ADD] where numbers are missing.
```

## What to fill in

- DATA - occurrences, rate, trend, how it was detected
- customer complaints, returns, rework cost, compliance
- PREVIOUS FIXES
- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OR STEPS
- ADD

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.