Start Here — Your Path to GMP Compliance¶
Welcome. This vault guides you through setting up a compliant cosmetics or food-supplement operation from scratch. You do not need any prior knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) — every concept is explained as you go.
What this course covers¶
GMP is the set of practices that ensures your products are consistently safe, correctly labelled, and fit for their intended use. Regulators in most countries require documented GMP compliance before you can legally manufacture or sell cosmetics or supplements.
This course covers the compliance side only: building systems, writing documents, passing inspections. It does not cover business strategy, marketing, or pricing.
Section map¶
Work through the sections in the order listed. Each one builds on the previous. The QMS and GDocP foundations are referenced throughout every other section, so start there.
| # | Section | What you will learn |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quality Management System (QMS) | The management framework that holds everything together |
| 2 | Documentation & Records (GDocP) | How to write, control, and store the documents that prove compliance |
| 3 | Personnel & Hygiene | Who does what, and how to keep people from contaminating products |
| 4 | Premises & Facilities | How your building and rooms must be designed and maintained |
| 5 | Equipment | How to qualify, calibrate, and maintain machinery |
| 6 | Production (GMP) | Step-by-step rules for making products in a controlled way |
| 7 | Quality Control & Testing (QC) | How to test raw materials and finished products before release |
| 8 | Warehousing & Distribution (GDP) | How to store and ship products without breaking compliance |
| 9 | Labelling & Packaging | What must appear on your label and how to control artwork |
| 10 | Complaints, Recalls & Vigilance | How to handle complaints, adverse events, and product recalls |
How notes are structured¶
Each lesson follows the same shape so you always know where to look:
- What it is — plain-language definition
- Why it matters — the compliance rationale and the risk if skipped
- What you must do — numbered, concrete steps
- What "good" looks like — an example or acceptance criteria
- Common mistakes — pitfalls a first-timer hits
- Templates & checklists — ready-to-use documents linked at the bottom
Templates are fill-in documents you copy and adapt for your business. Checklists are verification lists you tick off during setup or audits.
Country-specific rules¶
The general content applies everywhere. If you operate in a specific country, check
the 20-countries/ folder for an overlay that lists what that country adds or changes.
A note on acronyms¶
Every acronym is defined on first use in each lesson. The most common ones you will encounter:
| Acronym | Meaning |
|---|---|
| GMP | Good Manufacturing Practice |
| GDocP | Good Documentation Practice |
| GDP | Good Distribution Practice |
| QMS | Quality Management System |
| QC | Quality Control |
| SOP | Standard Operating Procedure |
| CAPA | Corrective Action and Preventive Action |
| HACCP | Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points |
| CoA | Certificate of Analysis |