Root Cause Analysis Workflow

What happens if the effectiveness review finds the corrective action didn't work?

The workflow routes the case back into investigation automatically via the Restart Investigation step. Status updates to reflect the case is reopened, and the investigation team can revise the root cause analysis and corrective actions before the case returns to effectiveness review. No case can reach closure until the review confirms the fix actually worked.

Can this handle a closure approval rejection?

Yes. If the approver rejects closure, the Route on Closure Approval step sends the case to Restart Investigation After Rejection rather than closing it. The team reworks findings or corrective actions and resubmits for approval, keeping a full history of each rejection and revision in the case record.

What if we have multiple people who need to be involved in the investigation?

The Assign Investigation Team step supports assigning multiple people or a team, not just one owner. You can customise roles inside assess.one so different contributors handle findings, corrective actions, and reviews within the same case.

How do we customise the workflow for our own approval chain?

You can edit steps, roles, notifications, and approval logic directly inside assess.one after publishing the template — no developer needed. This includes changing who approves closure, adding extra review stages, or adjusting due date rules for corrective actions.

Who needs access to this workflow?

At minimum you need the reporting owner who logs incidents, the investigation team who conducts the analysis, and an approver for closure sign-off. All three roles work inside assess.one, and access can be scoped per role so investigators don't see unrelated cases.

What if a case sits unresolved past its due date?

The Set Record Due Date step tracks target dates for corrective actions, and notifications can be configured inside assess.one to alert owners and stakeholders as deadlines approach or pass. This keeps overdue investigations visible instead of quietly stalling.

How long does it take to get this workflow running?

Publishing the template takes minutes — there's no implementation project or software install. Once published, your team can start logging RCA cases and running investigations immediately inside assess.one.

Can this handle compliance or audit requirements for regulated incidents?

Yes. Every status change, investigation finding, corrective action, and approval decision is captured on the case record, giving you a full audit trail. This supports internal audits or regulatory reviews without needing separate documentation.

What happens after the case is closed?

The Close RCA Case step finalizes the record and the Notify Owner of Closure step automatically informs the original reporting owner that the analysis is complete. The full investigation history, corrective actions, and effectiveness review remain attached to the case for future reference.

What if we need different investigation steps for different incident types?

You can duplicate the template and adjust the investigation and corrective action steps to match different incident categories, such as safety versus quality defects. Each version runs independently inside assess.one, letting you tailor the process without building anything from scratch.