Mill Certificates

title: “Mill Certificates” description: “Upload, manage, and link quality certificates to steel inventory” date: 2025-01-20T00:00:00Z weight: 50 draft: false

Mill Certificates

Mill certificates are quality documents that come with steel products. They prove the steel meets certain standards and specifications.

[SCREENSHOT: Mill Certificates page with list of certificates]

What is a Mill Certificate?

A Mill Certificate is an official document from the steel mill that shows:

  • Chemical composition of the steel
  • Mechanical properties (strength, hardness, etc.)
  • Test results
  • Batch/heat numbers
  • Compliance with standards

Why they matter:

  • Required for quality audits
  • Needed for customer documentation
  • Prove material traceability
  • Required for compliance projects

[SCREENSHOT: Example mill certificate document]

Viewing Your Certificates

The main page shows all your stored mill certificates in a table.

What you’ll see:

  • Certificate Number - Unique reference from the mill
  • Material/Grade - What type of steel
  • Heat/Batch Number - Production batch identifier
  • Date Issued - When the mill issued it
  • Mill/Supplier - Who produced it
  • Status - Uploaded, verified, or linked to inventory

[SCREENSHOT: Mill certificates table with columns labeled]

Uploading Certificates

Uploading a Single Certificate

When you receive a certificate:

  1. Click the + Upload Certificate button
  2. A form appears

[SCREENSHOT: Upload certificate form]

  1. Fill in the information:

    • Certificate Number - Enter the reference from the document
    • Material/Grade - Select the steel grade
    • Heat/Batch Number - Enter the mill’s batch number
    • Date Issued - When the certificate was issued
    • Supplier - Name of the mill or supplier
    • File - Click to select the certificate file (PDF or image)

  2. Click Upload

Tip: Keep the original filename clear, like “Cert-123456-Grade500.pdf” for easy identification.

Accepted File Types

You can upload:

  • PDF files (most common)
  • JPEG/JPG images
  • PNG images
  • TIFF files

Best practice: PDF is preferred as it maintains document quality and is easy to view.

Searching for Certificates

To find a specific certificate quickly:

  1. Use the search box at the top
  2. Type any of these:
    • Certificate number
    • Heat/batch number
    • Material grade
    • Supplier name

[SCREENSHOT: Search box example]

The list filters as you type, showing only matching certificates.

Using Filters

For more targeted searching:

  1. Click the Filter button

  2. Set your criteria:

    • Material Grade - Show only specific grades
    • Date Range - Certificates from a certain period
    • Supplier - All certificates from one mill
    • Status - Linked to inventory or not

  3. Click Apply

[SCREENSHOT: Filter panel for certificates]

Common searches:

  • “Show all Grade 500 certificates”
  • “Show certificates from this month”
  • “Show certificates not yet linked to inventory”

Viewing Certificate Details

To see or download a certificate:

  1. Click on any certificate row
  2. The detail page opens

[SCREENSHOT: Certificate detail page]

What you’ll see:

  • All certificate information
  • Preview of the document
  • Related inventory items (if linked)
  • Download button

Downloading a Certificate

To save or print:

  1. Open the certificate details
  2. Click the Download button
  3. The PDF or image file downloads
  4. Open it with your PDF reader or image viewer

Tip: Download certificates when you need to send them to customers or inspectors.

Linking Certificates to Inventory

When steel arrives with a certificate, link them together for traceability.

During Inventory Upload

When adding inventory, you can select the certificate:

  1. Go to Inventory
  2. Add new inventory
  3. In the Mill Certificate field, select the certificate from the dropdown
  4. Save the inventory

[SCREENSHOT: Inventory form with mill certificate selector]

After Inventory is Added

To link later:

  1. Go to Inventory
  2. Edit the inventory item
  3. Select the mill certificate
  4. Save

Or:

  1. Go to the certificate detail page
  2. Click Link to Inventory
  3. Select the inventory items
  4. Save

Managing Certificates

Editing Certificate Information

If you need to correct information:

  1. Open the certificate details
  2. Click the Edit button
  3. Update the information
  4. Click Save

Note: You usually can’t change the certificate file itself - if you have a corrected version, delete and re-upload.

Deleting Certificates

If a certificate was uploaded in error:

  1. Open the certificate details
  2. Click the Delete button
  3. Confirm deletion

Warning: If the certificate is linked to inventory, you’ll need to unlink it first or the link will be removed.

Certificate Status

Certificates can have different statuses:

  • Uploaded - File is in the system
  • Verified - Information has been checked
  • Linked - Connected to specific inventory
  • Archived - Old certificate kept for records

Update status as you process certificates to track your workflow.

Video Tutorial: Working with Mill Certificates

Video Script:

“Let’s learn how to manage mill certificates in GoSmarter.

From the sidebar, click on Mill Certificates under Compliant Steel. You’ll see a list of all certificates stored in the system.

When you receive a new steel delivery with a certificate, you need to upload it. Click the Upload Certificate button.

A form appears. Let’s fill it in. First, enter the certificate number from the document - let’s say ‘MTC-2025-5678’. Select the material grade - in this case, Grade 500. Enter the heat number from the certificate - ‘H-987654’. Set the date the certificate was issued. Enter the supplier name.

Now click the file selector to choose your certificate file. Find your PDF file - maybe it’s called ‘Certificate-5678.pdf’. Select it and click Open. You’ll see the filename appear.

Click Upload. Your certificate is now stored in the system.

Let’s find a certificate. Use the search box at the top and type part of the certificate number or heat number. As you type, the list filters to show matching certificates.

To view the actual certificate document, click on any row. The detail page opens and you can see a preview of the document. Click Download if you need to save it or print it for a customer.

When you add inventory that matches this certificate, you can link them together. Go to Inventory, add your new stock, and in the Mill Certificate field, select this certificate from the dropdown. Now your inventory is linked to its quality documentation.

To find all certificates for a specific grade of steel, use the Filter button. Select the grade and click Apply. You now see only certificates for that material.

This way, you always have quality documentation organized and easy to find when inspectors visit or customers request it.”

Common Questions

What if I have a paper certificate?

Scan it or take a clear photo, then upload the image file. PDF scans work best.

Can I upload the same certificate twice?

You can, but it’s better to use unique certificate numbers to avoid confusion. If you uploaded by mistake, delete the duplicate.

What if the certificate covers multiple batches?

Upload it once and link it to all relevant inventory items.

How long should I keep certificates?

Keep them as long as you have the steel in stock, and for several years after for audit purposes. Check your industry regulations.

What if a customer requests a certificate?

Search for it, view the details, download the file, and send it to them.

Can I bulk upload certificates?

Currently, upload them one at a time. This ensures proper information entry for traceability.

Best Practices

  1. Upload immediately - Don’t let certificates pile up; upload them when deliveries arrive
  2. Use clear naming - Name files descriptively before uploading
  3. Link to inventory - Always link certificates to the corresponding stock
  4. Verify information - Double-check certificate numbers and heat numbers
  5. Keep originals - Store paper originals in a safe place as backup
  6. Regular audits - Periodically check that recent inventory has certificates
  7. Customer ready - Keep certificates organized so you can quickly respond to requests

Next Steps

With certificates organized:

Proper certificate management ensures compliance and customer confidence!