A compliance pack is one file with five parts: the AS/NZS declaration, the formaldehyde report, conformity certificates, labelling evidence and the inspection report, plus a one-page index. It is assembled before deposit, not after arrival, and it is kept for at least three years. A missing part is a gap someone will find later.
Five parts and one index.
Assemble before deposit, not after arrival.
Supplier owns production documents; importer owns compliance and shipment documents.
Keep at least three years.
The pack proves compliance; the invoice set proves the shipment.
1. What a pack is for
A compliance pack answers a simple question: can you prove the cabinets meet the specification? A certifier, a project manager, a lender or a buyer may ask. The pack is the answer in one place, indexed, so the question does not become a week of email.
2. The five parts
| # | Part | Proves |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AS/NZS declaration | Unit standard compliance |
| 2 | Formaldehyde report | Board grade and method |
| 3 | Conformity certificates | Market-specific conformity |
| 4 | Labelling evidence | Market language and content |
| 5 | Inspection report | Quantity and quality before loading |
Each part answers a different question. A pack with four parts is not 80% complete; it is incomplete.
3. The index
One page listing every document, its date, its owner and where it is filed. The index is what makes the pack usable. Without it, the pack is a folder of PDFs with names nobody recognises.
4. Who owns what
The supplier owns the production records: board invoices, test reports, production logs. The importer owns the compliance and shipment documents: declarations, certificates, labels, inspection reports, invoice set. The index should say which is which, so a missing document has a name against it.
5. Timing
Assemble before deposit. Some documents can be recreated later, but a test report tied to a batch cannot. A pack assembled at handover is a pack assembled when nobody has time.
6. Retention
Keep the pack for at least three years, longer if the warranty or the project runs longer. Digital copies are fine if they are legible and complete. Keep a copy outside the supplier portal, because access can end.
7. Handover
At handover, give the project manager the index and the five parts. A pack that lives only in the buyer inbox is not a handover. The documents guide lists each document in more detail.
8. Common gaps
The common gaps are a declaration without a report, a report without a batch reference, and labels that were approved but never photographed. Each is easy to close before shipment and hard to close after.
9. A checklist before you commit
Before you sign, confirm six things: the board grade, the hardware model, the finish system, the packing standard, the inspection scope and the payment schedule. Each should be in writing, not in a call. The quote checklist turns the six into a one-page comparison.
10. Common mistakes
The most common mistake is comparing a factory price with a landed cost. The second is leaving the inspection out of the budget. The third is paying the balance before the inspection is signed off. Each is avoidable with a written scope and a pre-shipment inspection.
11. How to measure the room
Measure each wall at three points, top, middle and bottom, and use the smallest. Walls are rarely square, and a 10 mm bow over three metres changes the filler. Measure the ceiling at each corner and note sockets, radiators and soil pipes before drawing. A measured survey saves more time than a faster drawing, and the measuring guide has a printable sheet.
13. A specification checklist
Write four lines for every material: the product, the grade, the thickness and the surface or edge treatment. A material specified by name alone leaves the grade to the factory, and the grade is where the cost and the performance sit.
14. Questions the factory will ask
Expect four questions: which grade, which thickness, which edge and which batch. The answers should already be in the specification. If they are not, the factory will choose, and the choice will be the cheapest that meets the drawing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a compliance pack?
One file with five parts: AS/NZS declaration, formaldehyde report, conformity certificates, labelling evidence and the inspection report, plus a one-page index.
When should it be assembled?
Before deposit. Assembling it after arrival is assembling it under pressure, and some documents cannot be recreated then.
Who owns each document?
The supplier owns the production documents; the importer owns the compliance and shipment documents. The index should say which is which.
How long should it be kept?
At least three years, and longer if the warranty or the project runs longer.
Does it replace the shipment documents?
No. The pack proves compliance; the invoice set proves the shipment. Keep both, aligned.
What if a part is missing?
Do not release the deposit. A missing part is a gap that a certifier or a buyer will find later, usually at the worst time.
