FAQs

Reassurance that you are compliant

Are you sure the solution aligns with BRC Global Standards?

Yes. You can see how the BRC Global  Standards sections and clauses have been copied, without amendments, to the solution. We have consulted with experts in the field to generate questions for each clause. If you mark ‘yes’ (compliant) for all questions, you will automatically be marked as compliant for that clause or section.

How can I track who has done and what?

For each requirement, you can track how the requirement was marked the first time, and then who updated that requirement, how they updated it, and when. For corrective actions, there is an audit trail of who raised the corrective action and what they requested, who, when, and how that action was conducted, and when it was verified plus by whom.

How does BRC Gap Analysis help with addressing non-conformances?

The actions menu allows you to raise a non-conformance when there is a gap, specify what needs to be done, by whom, and by which date. You can mark the action on 3 levels of severity. You can assign a verifier, who checks that the non-conformance has been addressed to the right standard. The actioner can ask to be notify the owner via email whenever the action is updated. Each user involved in the action can communicate on this menu, so information about how this non-conformance is addressed is collected in one place.
The Actions menu allows you to check which actions are still outstanding. You can sort them out by person they are assigned to, by deadline, or by BRC Section.

What happens if the actions deadline is surpassed and the action is not closed yet?

Once an action is overdue, you will get notification on that every 3 days. Thus you can give that action priority. Or, if it is now less of a priority, the person who raised that action can change the deadline. In reports, overdue actions will be shown in red.

How does BRC Gap Analysis help ensure quality of corrective actions?

You can assign a verifier for each corrective action. This person will check that a corrective action is only marked as closed (no gap for that requirement) if the action meets their standards.

Can you mark actions in different levels of severity?

Yes, there are 3 levels: minor, major, or critical.

How do I know how far I have to go to be compliant?

BRC Gap Analysis allows you to view your progress by compliance or by completion. For compliance, you can see, per section, how many clauses are compliant, non-compliant, or still in progress. For completion you will be able to see, per section, how many questions you have completed.

Can I use it for internal audits?

Yes, please do! That would be best practice. Because you can generate an unlimited number of gap analyses, you can use the solution for internal audits, so you are confident you maintain high standards throughout the year.

Removing headaches to do with spreadsheets and scattered documents

How user-friendly is it?

We have been developing software for many years, and user-friendliness is a priority. We know that if people don’t like it they won’t use it! We have worked closely with users to see how they work. The application can be accessed from desktops and touch-screen devices.

How does it help me when the auditors come in?

You will have all the information you need in one place, at the click of a button. You can easily demonstrate how you have ensured compliance, as you can see the audit trail for updates you made to the gap analysis. The ability to link documents to clauses also helps when the auditors come in. A report is available for this, which lists the documents by clause.

How much time does BRC Gap Analysis save?

  • Because the requirements for each clause are broken down, you can mark or comment on each requirement much more quickly.
  • You will not need to chase people to close or verify corrective actions, BRC Gap Analysis does this automatically for you.
  • Because information is well-organised and clearly visible, efficiency is increased.
  • Ready-made reports and charts save you time having to create them manually before attending management meetings.
  • When linked documents are amended, the solution automatically has the updated version.
  • Visibility of completion allows you to adjust your schedule and timescale to meet the deadlines.
  • The solution is built with collaboration and information-sharing in mind. This improves communication and increases efficiency.

How does the solution help oversight?

The dashboard shows you where you are up to in terms of compliance and completion. The Actions menu shows you which actions still need addressing. The audit trails for the main gap analysis and for the Actions menu shows which changes have been made, when, and by whom. If you use a consultant, you can give them access so they can oversee the entire gap analysis process, including the closing of corrective actions.

What if we update documents that are linked to specific clauses?

This often happens with policies and procedures. In BRC Gap Analysis you do not attach documents. Instead you put a title and link to the document in your document management system. You can link file paths of documents (e.g. Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive). When you amend the documents, as long as the file path remains the same, the gap analysis still links to the most updated version.

How does BRC Gap Analysis help me see which documents are linked to which clauses?

The Documents menu allows you to see this. There is a list of documents you link to in the gap analysis, and, next to each document, you can see where you have referred to it. This section contains two reports:

  • Documents by Name, showing the related clause references
  • Documents by Clause, showing you the documents linked to each clause.

Does the solution have version control for policy documents and such?

BRC Gap Analysis is not meant to replace your Document Management System, but rather complements it. It allows you to specify the file path of relevant documents. If you amend a document, but keep the same name/file path, the most recent version is automatically in the solution. If you change the name/file path of documents, just go to the Documents menu to easily see which clauses have referred to this document. You can then go to these clauses and specify the updated document file path.

Collaborating within the business and with consultants

How does BRC Gap Analysis help us work together as a team?

Each subscription has a ‘power user’, who can invite colleagues to use the system. An email invite is automatically sent out to them. As soon as they register, they have access to BRC Gap Analysis.

How does BRC Gap Analysis encourage collaboration?

Users can each focus on the section of the gap analysis that they are responsible for. The actions menu allows different users to work on or verify different actions. The easy oversight of completion and compliance, broken down by sections and clauses, can help focus food safety and quality meetings.

Every corrective action has a forum-style notes section which allows you to add comments, notify users, and allow other users to reply.

We work with a consultant. Can they be involved in BRC Gap Analysis?

Yes. You can invite your consultant to be a user, and they can easily access your gap analysis. They can then give you quick feedback on how you are doing. This is very helpful because the consultant can be involved in the corrective actions process.

I am a consultant. How do I manage all my clients?

Each client should invite you to be a user on their subscription. You can log on to each client individually, and have overall access to their gap analyses. Information submitted by each client will be completely distinct to your other clients’ gap analyses.

Other questions?

We have several sites. What does this mean for us?

An annual subscription allows you to have discrete gap analyses for 2 separate sites. If you would like to use the solution for more sites, you can purchase additional subscriptions. These sites can be added to your current account.

Can I reuse the gap analysis for each annual audit?

When you purchase a subscription to BRC Gap Analysis you can generate as many gap analyses as you need to. There is no limit. So you can generate a new gap analysis every year, every quarter, or even more frequently.

Is the information I input on BRC Gap Analysis safe and secure?

Yes. We use modern and secure servers, and the connection between your browser and the server is encrypted. The security of your confidential information is paramount to us.

Please make sure that your browser and computer are up to date with the recent updates and security patches. Keeping your password safe is also very important.

What if I want to insert additional detail that is not required by BRC?

For each question you can select Notes, and add this information. Even if you mark that question as Compliant, you can still add notes.

What does the free trial give me?

You get full access to BRC Gap Analysis for 14 days. Once you purchase a subscription, the data input during the free trial will transfer automatically – you will not lose anything.

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