Product inspections are a popular solution for Sofeast clients. Each new inspection project needs to be booked via our booking system, and this page guides you through using it to schedule and manage inspection bookings.
Watch the video tutorial or keep reading to see each step.
0. How to create your private account in our IT platform?
Please go to https://sofeast-booking.com/register and fill out the form.
It takes just 1 or 2 minutes to add the required company and contact information.
1. Logging in
Go to www.sofeast-booking.com. Input your user name and password (as chosen when you created your account).
If you forgot your password, click on “forgot password” and follow the instructions.
2. Booking a new product inspection
2.1 On the top left corner of your screen, click on “create a new booking”
2.2 Select the service type (inspection) you want to book
You have 5 options:
- Final Random Inspection: check the quantity and the average quality (including packing) a few days before shipment. This is the most common type of inspection.
- During Production Inspection: check quality before many pieces are completed, to get an early warning signal if things are going wrong.
- Full Production Check: after a whole order is completed, check 100% of the products.
- Packing & Loading Supervision: check the packing & labelling, and the quantity, and then supervise the loading into a truck/container(s).
- Production Monitoring & Reporting: set a program of visits for monitoring both product quality and production progress.
Note: if you are not sure what type of service you need, please ask planning@sofeast.com and CC ra@sofeast.com. Describe your situation and the main risks you want to prevent, and we will provide advice. We can also send you more information about a specific product inspection solution if you’d like.
2.3 Select a date
You then need to input a start date for the project.
Important: this can be a rough date. You can write “This is a rough date” in this text field and we will push the supplier to confirm a precise date.
2.4 Input the product information
If you have already input the same product in the past, you can click on “Select a product already in our database”
If this is the first time you input a product in our database, click on this button instead:
2.5. Any golden samples for our reference?
If we have sample(s) that you approved in our hands, it helps us understand your requirements better. Click on this button if there will be a sample for our reference:
Note: most clients make sure there is such a sample in the factory – either with a special identification that can’t be removed, or in a sealed bag/box with the words “keep closed and give to Sofeast staff only”.
2.6 Input the supplier information
If you have already input the same supplier in the past, you can click on the drop-down menu just below “Select supplier”.
Note: if you have more than 10 suppliers that you need us to work with, feel free to send us the information in Excel format and we will import it in the database ourselves.
We will need 3 working days for this to be done. If you need to do this regularly, we will show you how to do it yourself with a few copy & paste actions.
If this is the first time you’re inputting a supplier in our database, click on this button:
Don’t forget to click on “Add Contact” for each contact person you input.
2.7 Upload files useful for the inspection
In this field, you can upload files such as photos, specification sheets, lists of potential defects, etc.
2.8 Write comments, if any
In this field, you can write comments or special instructions for our team.
2.9 Save the booking
Note: a draft is saved in real time as you input the information in this page. If you lose your internet connection or have to switch to another task, you can come back to this draft later (all drafts are saved in https://sofeast-booking.com/#/bookings/draft). Once you save the booking, it is no longer a draft.
Our planning team will receive a notification and will look if something is missing, and then will contact your supplier. You can send them an email at planning@sofeast.com.
Our technical team will evaluate the amount of work involved. You can send them an email at technical@sofeast.com.
Once we know the factory address and the amount of work, we will send you a quotation.
3. Frequently asked questions
3.1 How to modify an order after I have made a booking?
Go to https://sofeast-booking.com/#/bookings. Open the correct booking. Make the necessary changes.
After that, do not forget to click on “save changes” at the bottom.
Note: make sure you don’t make last minute changes, or we might not be able to accommodate them. You will get a notification if it is a late change.
3.2 How to ask for a sample pickup during an inspection?
Under section 4, click on this button, and choose the options that make sense.
3.3 How to see how many samples will be checked?
This is hidden by default, to keep the booking page relatively simple and short. You can see that information by going to the top of the page and selecting “Show”.
Under part 5, you will see the information in this table:
3.4 How can I modify the inspection sampling level and the AQL limits?
Ensure “Show” is selected at the top of the booking page.
Click on “Edit Lot” in section 5 (inspection settings).
Note: there might be several sampling lots, for example if there are several type of products that are clearly different (and might have very different proportions of defectives).
You can make changes here, and then click on “Save Lot”.
3.5 How to re-order an inspection?
Go to https://sofeast-booking.com/#/bookings. Open the right booking. Click on “re-book and open in a new page” at the top of the booking page.
3.6 How to cancel a booking?
Go to https://sofeast-booking.com/#/bookings. Open the right booking. Click on “Cancel this booking” at the top of the booking page.
3.7 Where to see the report?
Go to https://sofeast-booking.com/#/bookings. Open the right booking. Scroll down to part 10.
Note: an automated email will be sent once the report is ready, with a link to download it directly.
3.8 What happen if I click “Accept inspection” or “Refuse inspection”, at the bottom of the booking page?
Once you have received the inspection report, you can accept it or refuse it. Your decision will be saved and will show up in the statistics.
If you click one of these buttons, the supplier will receive an email to inform them that you accept or refuse the inspection (you will be in CC of that email). That email also asks them to contact you directly for the next step.
