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Mill Certificates

Table of Contents

Mill certificates or Material Test Reports are quality documents that come with metal products. They prove the material meets certain standards and specifications.

What is a Mill Certificate?

A Mill Certificate (also known as a Material Test Report or MTR) is a certified quality document issued by the manufacturer (mill or foundry). It acts as the material’s “birth certificate,” providing a traceable record of its physical and chemical characteristics.

It typically includes:

  • Chemical Composition: The precise percentage of elements (Carbon, Manganese, etc.) which determines properties like weldability and corrosion resistance.
  • Mechanical Properties: Data from destructive testing, including tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation.
  • Heat Number: A unique identifier linking the material back to the specific ladle of molten metal it came from. Also known as Cast Number, Melt Number, or Lot Number.
  • Product Specifications: Confirmation that the material meets specific standards (e.g., ASTM, EN, ISO).
  • Dimensions and Weight: Specifics of the material batch covered by the report.

Why they matter

Mill certificates are not just paperwork; they are critical for:

  • Traceability: In the event of a product failure, you must be able to trace the material back to its source.
  • Compliance & Audits: ISO 9001 and EN 1090 standards often strictly require valid MTRs for all structural materials.
  • Customer Requirements: Many projects, especially in construction and aerospace, formally mandate that MTRs be submitted before materials are accepted.
  • Verification: Ensuring you actually received the grade of material you paid for (e.g., ensuring S355 wasn’t swapped for S275).

Learn More about Digital Management

To learn how automation and AI can streamline mill certificate management, check out these articles:

Viewing Your Certificates

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

What you’ll see

  • File name - The file uploaded (useful to have a clear naming convention)
  • Heat/Batch Number - Production batch identifiers identified on the certificate
  • Date Uploaded - When the certificate was uploaded
  • Status - Uploaded, verified, or linked to inventory

Uploading Certificates

Uploading a Single Certificate

When you receive a certificate:

  1. Click the + Upload Certificate button
  2. A form appears
  3. Click to select the certificate file (PDF or image)
  4. Click Upload

Tip

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

Accepted File Types

You can upload PDFs.

Searching for Certificates

Using Search and Filters

For more targeted searching:

  1. Click the Filter button
  2. Type into a text field to search, or use the filter fields:
    • File name - Show only specific files
    • Date Range - Certificates uploaded in a certain period
    • Heat code - Find a specific heat or batch number
    • Status - File processing status

Viewing Certificate Details

To see or download a certificate

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

What you’ll see

  • Top-level certificate details
  • One row per heat or batch number
  • Export button

Downloading a Certificate

To save or print:

  1. Open the certificate details or from the list
  2. Click the Actions button and select a Download option a. Download the underlying data from the certificate(s) as a CSV file b. Download a Zip file containing each page of the certificate as separate PDF with a name based on the heat/batch number(s) present on the page c. Download a Zip file containing a PDF per heat/batch number present in the certificate
  3. 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 material arrives with a certificate, the two will automatically be linked, so you don’t have to.

When Inventory is Added

Add the heat code for the inventory item when you create or update the invetnory record. If a matching certificate exists, it will be linked automatically. This is checked every time inventory is loaded on screen so as soon as heat code shows up in an uploaded certificate hte link happens.

When you upload a Certificate

The system extracts and stores all relevant heat codes from the certificate. If any inventory items already exist with matching heat codes, they will be linked automatically. This is checked every time a certificate is uploaded.

Note

Links are created based on heat codes only. Make sure the heat code in inventory matches exactly what is on the certificate. Note, this is case insensitive i.e. abc is the same as ABC.

Managing Certificates

Editing Certificate Information

At this time, you cannot edit certificate details once uploaded. If information is incorrect, delete and re-upload the correct file.

Deleting Certificates

Due to the retention of audit trails, you cannot delete certificates.

Leaving the platform

If you stop using GoSmarter you can request your data be deleted. Contact support for assistance.

Certificate Status

Certificates can have different statuses:

  • Processing - File is in the system but has not been fully processed yet
  • Complete - Information has been successfully extracted
  • Error - Something went wrong during processing and we need to re-process the file

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.

What if the certificate covers multiple batches?

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

How long should I keep certificates?

Keep them as long as you have the material 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?

We don’t recommend uploading more than 30-40 pages of certificates at once to avoid processing delays. Upload in smaller batches if needed. Each file should include certificates from a single supplier.

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 update your inventory with heat codes to ensure automatic linking
  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 organised so you can quickly respond to requests

Next Steps

With certificates organised:

Remember

Proper certificate management ensures compliance and customer confidence!