Validation for the transition of SPSS QI Analyst to the SPC for Excel program for quality control charting

The statistical process control charting software utilised by the Inorganic Geochemistry team, SPSS QI Analyst version 3.5, (1998, (QIA)), was no longer viable because it was incompatible with operating system requirements for networked computers. Therefore, an alternative program, SPC for Excel version 5, (2017, (SPC)), has been validated to replace the legacy version of QIA. The benefits of using SPC include but are not limited to the following:  Conformity with accredited QC processes according to the Inorganic Geochemistry Analytical Quality Control Operating Procedure (AGN 1.7)  Ease of transferring results from the analytical software  Program is accessible to computers connected to the network  Control charting and recording QC checks are all accomplished using Excel alone  User friendly with moderate Excel skills  Lower cost per licence than the latest version of the existing software The following document provides evidence to satisfy the requirements of UKAS accredited Standard ISO17025 by validating the new software system against the existing QIA software according to a validation plan using two complementary approaches. Specifically, this validation document comprises:  Tests with a synthetic dataset, which confirms that QIA and SPC for Excel produce the same result against the criteria specified by Analytical Quality Control procedures (AGN 1.7)  Tests with standards run during a recent large stream water analysis programme, which confirms that QIA and SPC for Excel control charts are able to perform the same quality control checks for analytes in “real” control sample data  A comparative table of terminology differences between QIA and SPC for Excel A companion document “SPC for Excel Instruction manual v2_WORKING VERSION”, provides working guidance on the operation of SPC for Excel version 5 2017, located in Appendix 5.