This is a user guide for reporting test results for Early Release Inspections in FOSTER.

Important note:

• The steps below show where actions are different between Early Release Inspections and Pre-Shipment Inspections.
• All other parts of the process should be conducted as per the standard Pre-Shipment Inspections process on FOSTER.

Quick links relevant to you:

1. What are Early Release Inspections?
2. How does this affect reporting in FOSTER
3. Early Release procedure for Inspection Company users
4. Early Release procedure for WFP users

What are Early Release Inspections?

Early Release Inspections are applicable when sampling of the commodity has taken place but the cargo is released before the results have been returned from the laboratory and reported to WFP.

In these situations, the WFP Procurement/FSQ teams request that a more limited set of analytical tests is conducted on the samples, focusing primarily on Food Quality parameters.

How does this affect reporting in FOSTER?

• For normal Pre-Shipment Inspections - the full set of analytical tests defined by a Specification are mandatory to be carried out on test samples.
  
• For Early Release Inspections - it is possible to indicate certain tests as 'Not Applicable' for that inspection by entering results in a specific format - provided this has been explicitly stated by the WFP Procurement/FSQ focal point
  
• When a Test is marked as 'Not Applicable' it's Deviation Class will automatically be classified as "Not Tested".

Important Note:

The "Not Tested" deviation class is applicable only to Early Release Inspections. If this deviation class is used for normal Pre-Shipment Inspections, the system will produce an error message, and the ILA will not be able to proceed to Final Approval

What are the alternate steps for processing Early Release Inspections?

A. Early release procedure for Inspection Company users

Master Inspection Records

These should be created and filled out as per normal process

Individual Lab Analysis

1. Inspection Type

Each ILA applicable for early release should have the Inspection Type Early Release Inspection, selected using the drop-down menu

2a. Indicating a Qualitative Test as Not Applicable

To mark a qualitative test as "Not Applicable" you must input the following:

1. Result Acceptable field enter:

   Yes

2. Result Description field enter

   Not Tested ER

When ILA record is saved you will see the Pass/Fail updated to:

Not Applicable

2b. Indicating a Quantitative Test as Not Applicable

To mark a quantitative test as "Not Applicable" you must input the following:

1. Result field enter:

   999999

2. Uncertainty field enter

   0

When ILA record is saved you will see the Pass/Fail updated to:

Not Applicable

B. Early release procedure for WFP users

3. Reviewing deviation Class for Not Applicable Tests

• All ILA records that are marked 'Early Release Inspection' must go through the FSQA Review phase
  
• The FSQA Officer should review the ILA and make sure that the tests that have been marked "Not Applicable" are appropriate
  
• The Deviation Class for these tests will automatically be entered as:

Not Tested

After this, the ILA can be processed as normal:

1. Send to "Final Review"
2. Final review completed by the Procurement officer
3. Send to "Completed"