VALIDATION
For automation engineers entering pharma

Your first pharma
project won't
look like it.

You're a skilled automation engineer. You know PLC logic, SCADA architecture, and how to commission a system that runs. GMP documentation is a different discipline — and most system integrators entering pharma learn it the hard way, under deadline pressure, in front of a client who knows exactly what's missing.

QLean Automation gives you the framework to deliver like you've done this before — because we built it from the experience of having done it ourselves.

25+
Production-ready templates
3–5
Days saved per project
100%
GAMP 5 2nd Ed. 2022
GAMP 5 · 2ND EDITION 2022 / EU GMP ANNEX 11 / 21 CFR PART 11 / IQ · OQ · PQ · FAT · SAT / ALCOA+ / V-MODEL LIFECYCLE / TRACEABILITY MATRIX / RISK ASSESSMENT · FMEA / DEVIATION MANAGEMENT / CHANGE CONTROL / PLC · SCADA · HMI VALIDATION / GAMP 5 · 2ND EDITION 2022 / EU GMP ANNEX 11 / 21 CFR PART 11 / IQ · OQ · PQ · FAT · SAT / ALCOA+ / V-MODEL LIFECYCLE / TRACEABILITY MATRIX / RISK ASSESSMENT · FMEA / DEVIATION MANAGEMENT / CHANGE CONTROL / PLC · SCADA · HMI VALIDATION /
Does this sound familiar?

Two situations.
One framework.

// SCENARIO_01
You just landed your first pharma contract.

Your firm does solid industrial automation — food & bev, manufacturing, utilities. You know your way around a cabinet. Now a pharma client is asking for a Validation Plan, FAT protocol, and Traceability Matrix by end of next month. You've heard of GAMP 5. You're not entirely sure what Category 4 means for your document scope. You don't want your client to realise this is your first time.

// SCENARIO_02
You've been subcontracted. The prime needs your docs in four weeks.

A Tier 1 integrator brought you in for the automation work. They're managing the client relationship. You're responsible for a compliant validation package that goes straight to the end client's QA team without rework. You've done pharma projects before — but you built the documents from scratch each time. You're not doing that again.

What we build

Tools built by engineers.
For engineers.

A growing suite of documentation tools for automation engineers and system integrators working in GMP-regulated pharmaceutical environments.

// 01
📋
GAMP 5 Validation Framework

25+ production-ready IQ/OQ/PQ templates for PLC/SCADA systems. Full V-Model lifecycle, embedded guidance notes, pre-linked traceability. Covers every document your pharma client expects.

// 02
📖
Technical Masterclass

102-page engineering reference covering GAMP 5 2nd Edition, 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, and PLC/SCADA architecture for GxP environments. Written for engineers, not auditors.

// 03
🤖
AI Validation Assistant

An AI-powered documentation engine that generates GAMP 5-compliant first drafts from your system inputs. Structured within the same regulatory framework as the template library — not a generic AI tool.

The framework — what's inside

Every document.
Properly linked.

The GAMP 5 V-Model is a dependency chain. URS requirements trace through FDS, SDS, HDS into IQ, OQ, and PQ test cases. The framework catches gaps before your client's QA team does.

CodeDocumentTypeScope
VPValidation PlandocxAll
PQPProject Quality PlandocxAll
URSUser Requirements Spec.docxAll
FDSFunctional Design Spec.docxCat 4/5
SDSSoftware Design Spec.docxCat 5
HDSHardware Design Spec.docxCat 4/5
CPControl PhilosophydocxCat 4/5
SAQSupplier Assessment QuestionnairedocxAll
SARSupplier Assessment ReportdocxAll
FATFactory Acceptance TestdocxAll
SATSite Acceptance TestdocxAll
IQInstallation QualificationdocxAll
OQOperational QualificationdocxCat 3/4/5
PQPerformance QualificationdocxCat 4/5
VSRValidation Summary ReportdocxAll
TMTraceability MatrixxlsxAll
RARisk Assessment (FMEA)xlsxAll
MDLMaster Deviation LedgerxlsxAll
CCLChange Control LogxlsxAll
ELEngineering Lists (I/O, Alarms)xlsxAll
+ 6 more · SOPs, Training Record, CCR Form
Built for engineers, not auditors

Every template includes embedded guidance notes — not just blank fields. Each section explains what it needs to contain and why, based on what regulators actually look for. No compliance background needed.

GAMP 5 category-aware scope

The Validation Plan includes a Software Categorisation section that drives your entire document scope. The framework tells you exactly what applies — so you never over-document a Category 3 system or leave a gap on a Category 5.

  • Category 3 — Non-configured COTS (standard SCADA / HMI)
  • Category 4 — Configured COTS (most PLC/SCADA projects)
  • Category 5 — Custom bespoke software
Standard formats. Zero lock-in.

Every file is .docx or .xlsx. No proprietary software, no platform to log into. Works in Word and Excel, versions in your existing document control system, submits in the format your clients already expect.

How it works

From blank page to
signed validation package.

1
Categorise your system

Use the GAMP 5 Software Categorisation guide to assign Cat 1, 3, 4, or 5. This single decision determines exactly which documents your project requires.

2
Load your templates

Open the relevant .docx and .xlsx files. Pre-populated with real PLC/SCADA examples and embedded guidance in every section.

3
Complete traceability

The Traceability Matrix links URS requirements through FDS to IQ, OQ, and PQ test cases. Gaps highlighted automatically before your client sees them.

4
Execute and close

Run qualification confidently. Deviations go into the MDL, changes through the CCL. The Validation Summary Report closes the package cleanly.

From the field

Engineers who've used it
in production.

★★★★★

"Subcontracted on an Ignition SCADA project — fill-and-finish facility, six weeks to deliver the full validation package. The QLean framework was the only reason we hit that deadline. Client's QA team didn't return a single document."

Technical Director
12-PERSON SI FIRM · FIRST PHARMA PROJECT · NL
★★★★★

"I came from oil & gas. The engineering was the same — the documentation language was completely different. The embedded guidance notes told me what every section needed and why. I didn't have to decode the regulation myself."

Senior Automation Engineer
CONTRACTOR · CAREER TRANSITION INTO PHARMA · UK
★★★★★

"The Traceability Matrix alone saved us two days. It caught three URS-to-OQ gaps before the QA review. On previous projects those gaps came back as findings. This time they didn't."

CSV Engineer
CONTRACT RESEARCH ORGANISATION · DE
25+
Documents across the full GAMP 5 V-Model lifecycle
€2k+
Engineering time saved per project at standard EU day rates
0
Major audit findings on projects using the complete framework
Free resources

Two free tools.
Before you write a word.

Enter your email and we'll send you both resources instantly — no strings, no spam.

Resource 01
GAMP 5 Document Scope Matrix
Every GAMP 5 category mapped to required, optional, and not-needed documents. The reference every SI engineer needs before starting a pharma project.
PDF · 1 page · Printable
Resource 02
URS Template — Sample
A sample of our production-ready User Requirements Specification template. See the full structure, embedded guidance notes, and real example requirements.
DOCX · 20+ pages · GAMP 5 aligned

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Pricing

One purchase.
Every project. Every user.

A single licence covers your entire company — no per-seat fees, no per-project fees, no expiry. Buy once, use across every pharma project your team runs.

Technical Reference
39

The engineering masterclass — for engineers who want to understand the regulatory framework before or alongside the full pack.

  • 102-page Architecting Integrity masterclass (PDF)
  • GAMP 5 2nd Edition from first principles
  • PLC/SCADA architecture for GxP environments
  • 21 CFR Part 11 and EU Annex 11 deep-dives
  • ISA-88 and ISA-101 pharma standards explained
Get the Ebook
Templates Only
229

The complete template library — for experienced engineers who need the documents without the background theory.

  • All 25+ production-ready .docx and .xlsx templates
  • Traceability Matrix with pre-linked requirement tracing
  • Risk Assessment, MDL, Change Control Log
  • 4 SOPs + Training Record + CCR Form
  • Company-wide licence — every project, every engineer
Get the Templates
A contractor or SI engineer billing at €600–900/day spends 3–5 days building a validation package from scratch. That's €1,800–4,500 of billable time on documentation alone, every single project. The Full Framework costs €249 and covers every project from here on. The first project pays it back 8× over.
FAQ

Real questions from
real engineers.

We've never done a pharma project. Is this too advanced?

That's exactly who this is built for. Every template includes embedded guidance notes explaining what each section needs and why — in engineering language, not compliance jargon. The masterclass (included in the Full Framework) walks through GAMP 5 from first principles. No prior GMP experience needed.

Is this aligned with GAMP 5 2nd Edition (2022)?

Yes — specifically the 2022 second edition, not the 2008 original. The key changes are the updated risk-based approach and revised categorisation — Category 2 was retired. The Validation Plan includes a categorisation section that drives which downstream documents you actually need.

Will our pharma client's QA team accept these documents?

The templates are structurally aligned with FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU GMP Annex 11, and GAMP 5 2nd Edition. They provide the correct document structure, required sections, regulatory language, and traceability architecture. Final approval depends on your engineering content and testing — the framework gives you the right container. You fill it with your engineering work.

How many people in our company can use these?

One purchase covers your entire company — there are no per-seat restrictions. Every engineer in your firm can use the templates across every project. No additional licences required, no expiry date.

What format are the files? Do we need special software?

Standard .docx (Word) and .xlsx (Excel) only. No platform to log into, no proprietary viewer, no subscription. Works in the tools you already use, submits in the format your clients already expect, stores in whatever document control system your firm uses.

Who built this?

QLean Automation was built by automation engineers with 10+ years of hands-on PLC/SCADA validation experience in GMP-regulated pharmaceutical environments.

We've delivered validation packages as system integrators and had them reviewed by pharma QA teams. We're not compliance consultants. We're engineers who solved a documentation problem and built tools around the solution.

Project-specific questions?

Unsure whether the framework fits your project type — Ignition, Siemens TIA Portal, AVEVA, Rockwell, custom HMI? Get in touch before you buy. We're happy to answer technical questions.


Ask a question →
Get started today

Your client won't
know it's your
first time.

The documentation framework is ready. The regulatory structure is in place. You bring the engineering — we've done the compliance groundwork.

Get the Full Framework — €249 →

// Instant download · Company-wide licence · Standard .docx + .xlsx · No subscription