Free Corrective Action Plan Templates

By Kate Eby | April 3, 2023

We’ve compiled a collection of the most helpful free corrective action plan templates, all available to download for business owners, managers, and HR professionals. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a five-step, 30-day corrective action plan template, a corrective action plan for employees who need performance counseling, and a project management corrective action plan template.

Simple Corrective Action Plan Template 

Sample Simple Corrective Action Plan Template

Download the Simple Corrective Action Plan Template for

Microsoft Word | Excel

Download the Sample Simple Corrective Action Plan Template for

Microsoft Word | Excel

When a process, person, or event has a negative impact on your business, use this simple corrective action plan template – including one with sample data – to record your action plan, solve the problem, and prevent its future occurrence. Whether you need to correct an employee’s behavior or address a supply shortage, this template can be used for any situation. Start by identifying the problem, then add the desired outcome. Fill in the action steps necessary to reach the goal. Use the status column to easily track and review the progress of each problem. Print out the template to fill it out by hand. 

For additional action plan templates, check out this collection of free action plan templates.

30-Day Corrective Action Plan Template 

Sample 30-Day Corrective Action Plan Template

Download a 30-Day Corrective Action Plan Template for 
Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF | Excel

Download a Sample 30-Day Corrective Action Plan Template for
Microsoft Word | Adobe PDF | Excel

This 30-day corrective action plan template lays out a five-step process to help you solve specific nonconformities within your business, including sample data you can use to model your approach. It’s a great tool to use when there’s limited time to solve an issue. Simply type each step into the pre-formatted schedule to ensure that your team is working efficiently toward a solution. This template is also printable for those who prefer to map out their corrective action plan by hand.

Employee Corrective Action Plan Template for HR 

Employee Corrective Action Plan Template for HR

Download the Employee Corrective Action Plan Template for HR for Microsoft Word

Download this detailed, printable employee corrective action plan template whenever an employee needs performance counseling or coaching. The template will guide you through key elements of an employee’s performance and help you map out an improvement plan. The sections include improvement goals, expectations, and progress monitoring. Once you complete the form, save it in the employee’s file for easy access. 

For additional information about addressing employee performance, check out this useful collection of performance improvement plan templates in various formats.

Project Management Corrective Action Plan Template

Project Management Corrective Action Plan Template

Download a Project Management Corrective Action Plan Template for
Microsoft Word | Excel

If your project is delayed or is suffering from scope creep, using a corrective action plan template can help realign project expectations. This project management corrective action template provides all the necessary space to document the course of action to fix any problems. There are columns for filling in information about the strategic action, stakeholders, constraints, metrics, and more. 

For additional resources, download one of these customizable action item templates.

Corrective Action Form Template

Corrective Action Form Template

Download a Corrective Action Form Template for
Microsoft Word | Excel

Use this corrective action form template to address any number of deficiencies within your business. Use the Actions column to document the necessary steps your team will take to reach a solution. There are also columns to record your available resources, the planned completion date, and the actual completion date. Assign an ID number to each action for thorough recordkeeping so that your team and business can keep track of their progress.

 For additional resources about corrective action plans, see this comprehensive guide to implementing corrective actions.

What Is a Corrective Action Plan Template? 

A corrective action plan template is a step-by-step plan you can use to address, record, and resolve negative impacts on a business. It includes a problem statement, action steps, a timeline, and a desired outcome.

Using a corrective action plan template is essential for reducing and preventing negative events. If you want to strengthen business processes, boost employee performance, or improve business operations, a corrective action plan is the perfect tool. It provides an organized record of the problem and how it was remedied.

Why Use a Corrective Action Plan Template? 

If you are a business owner or a manager or work in HR, you will face business-related challenges. These can include problems with equipment, sales, safety, or employees. A corrective action plan provides the best way to tackle these issues. 

Using corrective action plan templates helps ensure that you stay organized by formally documenting your processes. By doing so, you can develop a step-by-step approach to problem solving that can be applied to all your processes or workflows. It also becomes a reference tool to show how a specific, negative situation was handled and how it was settled.

Corrective Action Plan Format

corrective action plan

Though corrective action plans vary, most of them follow the same basic format. Usually, they include space to document key information about the plan. Sections include a problem statement, actions steps, resources, a timeline, and more. 

These are the specific elements to include in your corrective action plan:

  • Problem Statement: Write a statement that defines the problem.  
  • Action Steps: List the steps taken to correct the problem. 
  • Resources: Document any resources used to implement the action steps or to help resolve the problem.
  • Timeline: Calculate the amount of time that passes between the identification and resolution of the problem. 
  • Due Date: Select a date by which the team should aim to finish the plan. 
  • Goal: State the desired outcome.  
  • Stakeholders: List anyone who is directly involved with or impacted by the problem.

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