Quality template
Certificate of Analysis Template: Build & Export Free
Report a batch's test results against their specifications in a clean, branded CoA, then export a supplier-ready PDF, free to start.
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A live Certificate of Analysis rendered from this template, and yours opens the same way, in your brand, and exports to a clean PDF.
Overview
What is a Certificate of Analysis?
A Certificate of Analysis (CoA) is a quality record that reports the actual measured test results for a specific batch or lot, alongside the specification each result was tested against. It's the document a customer relies on to confirm that what they received actually meets its specification, not just a promise that it does but the numbers to prove it.
The heart of a CoA is a results table: each test characteristic, its specification limit, the method used to measure it, the actual result, and a pass or fail. It's tied to one batch or lot, carries manufacture and expiry or retest dates, and is signed off by quality. That batch-level traceability and the measured values are what set it apart.
CoAs are standard, and often mandatory, in pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, cosmetics, chemicals and raw materials. This is also what distinguishes a CoA from a Certificate of Conformance: a CoC declares that goods conform; a CoA shows the measured results behind that claim (more on that below).
The fields
What to include in a Certificate of Analysis
A CoA that passes incoming inspection is specific, traceable and backed by numbers. These are the fields reviewers look for, and all of them are in the template.
Manufacturer / supplier identity
The legal entity issuing the certificate and the facility that produced and tested the batch.
Customer (issued to)
Who the certificate is issued to, so the CoA is unambiguously tied to one shipment and relationship.
Certificate number and date
A unique CoA identifier and issue date: how the certificate is referenced, filed and audited later.
Product, grade and specification
The product or material name and grade, and the specification or standard the results are tested against.
Batch / lot number and dates
The batch or lot number, plus manufacture and expiry or retest dates: the traceability that ties results to physical goods.
Quantity / batch size
The quantity or batch size the certificate covers.
Test characteristics and methods
Each parameter tested and the method or standard it was measured under, which is what makes the results verifiable.
Specification limits
The acceptance limit or range for each characteristic, shown next to the result so conformance is clear at a glance.
Actual results and pass / fail
The measured value for each characteristic, with its unit, and a pass or fail against the limit.
Disposition and authorized signatory
The overall disposition (released / approved) and the name, title, signature and date of the authorized quality signatory.
Step by step
How to fill out a Certificate of Analysis
Four passes get you from a blank template to a signed, released CoA.
Identify the batch
Enter the manufacturer and customer, a fresh certificate number and date, the product and specification, and the batch or lot number with its manufacture and expiry dates.
Set up the results table
List each test characteristic with its specification limit and the method used to measure it. Consistent parameters and methods make CoAs comparable across batches.
Enter the actual results
Record the measured value for each characteristic, with its unit, and mark each pass or fail against the limit. The measured numbers are the whole point of a CoA.
Disposition, sign and export
State the overall disposition, have the authorized quality signatory sign and date it, apply your brand, and export the PDF to send with the shipment.
Which one
Certificate of Analysis vs. Certificate of Conformance
The two ship together constantly and get mixed up just as often. The difference is simple: one shows the numbers, the other declares conformance.
Certificate of Analysis
A data record. It reports the actual measured test results for a batch: each characteristic, its specification limit, the method and the result, with batch-level traceability.
Use when the customer wants the measured numbers for a specific batch or lot.
Certificate of Conformance
A declaration. The supplier states that the goods conform to the identified requirements and references the specs behind that statement, without necessarily listing measured values.
Use when the customer wants signed assurance that the goods meet the requirements.
See the Certificate of Conformance template →Get it right
Common mistakes to avoid
- Declaring conformance without the actual measured values. That's a Certificate of Conformance, not a CoA.
- Reporting results without units, or without the specification limit shown alongside.
- Omitting the test method for a characteristic, so the result can't be verified.
- Missing batch or lot traceability, or the manufacture and expiry/retest dates.
- No overall disposition or authorized quality sign-off.
- Reusing the certificate number or leaving the number and date blank.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is a Certificate of Analysis?
A Certificate of Analysis (CoA) is a quality record that reports the actual measured test results for a specific batch or lot against their specification limits: each characteristic, its limit, the test method, the result and a pass or fail, signed off by quality. It proves a batch meets its specification.
What's the difference between a CoA and a Certificate of Conformance?
A Certificate of Analysis reports the actual measured test results for a batch against their limits. A Certificate of Conformance declares that goods conform to identified requirements and references the specs behind that statement, without necessarily listing measured values. A CoA shows the numbers; a CoC asserts conformance.
What should a Certificate of Analysis include?
The manufacturer and customer, a unique certificate number and date, the product, grade and specification, the batch or lot number with manufacture and expiry dates, and a results table of each characteristic with its specification limit, test method, actual result and pass/fail, plus an overall disposition and an authorized quality signature. This template includes all of them.
Who issues a Certificate of Analysis?
The manufacturer's or supplier's quality function, based on the batch's test data, sometimes from an in-house lab, sometimes from an accredited third-party laboratory. It's signed by an authorized quality representative, whose name, title and date belong on the certificate.
Is a Certificate of Analysis the same as a test report?
They're related but not identical. A CoA is a batch-release record that reports results against specification limits with a pass/fail disposition. A test report documents a specific evaluation (the test article, method, conditions and findings) and may not be tied to a released batch or state acceptance against a spec. Many CoAs draw on underlying test reports.
Related templates
Read the guideCertificate of Analysis (CoA): what to include and how to format it
A Certificate of Analysis reports the actual tested characteristics of a batch against its specification. Here’s the structure of a clear CoA, how it differs from a CoC, and how to keep the format consistent lot to lot.
Read the guide →Documents that go with a Certificate of Analysis
Certificate of Conformance (CoC)
Provides an authorized statement that supplied products, materials or shipments conform to identified requirements, specifications or contractual criteria.
Open template →Inspection Report
Records inspection characteristics, requirements, measurements, methods, evidence and acceptance results for a part, lot or product.
Open template →Test Report
Documents the test article, method, conditions, measurements, results, observations and conclusion for a defined evaluation.
Open template →Build your Certificate of Analysis now
Fill in the fields, apply your brand, and export a clean PDF. Free to start.
Note: This template gives you a structured starting point that reflects the format a Certificate of Analysis is expected to take. It does not certify any result and is not legal or regulatory advice. You remain responsible for the accuracy of the reported results, methods and specification limits, for the batch traceability, and for meeting your customer's and any applicable regulatory requirements before you release the certificate.