MSC Chain of Custody Indonesia: 30-Day Audit Plan

A practical, Indonesia-specific 30‑day plan to pass your MSC Chain of Custody audit. Exactly which records auditors ask for, how to build an auditor‑ready document pack, run a quick mass‑balance, prove segregation, and clean up invoice claims.

We’ve taken sites from “not ready” to auditor-ready in 30 days using this exact plan. It isn’t complicated, but it is specific to how Indonesian documents flow. If your team handles Surat Jalan, Faktur Pajak, PO/BTB, and Kartu Stok every day, this will feel familiar. And that’s the point.

The 3 pillars of a clean MSC audit

From years of CoC work in Indonesian processing and trading, three things decide whether you pass fast or fight findings for months:

Supplier assurance and claims control. Every incoming MSC claim must be valid, in-scope, and recorded. If your supplier’s MSC certificate is expired or the claim is missing on their invoice, everything downstream is at risk.
Segregation and traceability. You need to show physical separation and a paperwork trail that follows a batch from receiving to shipping.
Mass balance. You can’t ship more “MSC” than you received, adjusted for yield. Auditors will test this. We pre-test it internally.

Here’s the 30-day document pack blueprint we use.

Week 1–2: Build the document pack and prove supplier assurance

Which exact records do MSC Chain of Custody auditors ask for in Indonesia?

Create one top-level folder named “MSC-CoC_Audit_YYYYMMDD.” Inside, mirror these folders and minimum records. Use bilingual labels where it helps your team.

01 Supplier approval and claims
- Supplier MSC certificates (PDF) and scope statements. Save screenshots from the MSC Certificate Checker showing status, scope, validity dates.
- Supplier invoices and delivery documents with MSC claims: PO/BTB, Surat Jalan, Faktur (and, where relevant, Faktur Pajak). The claim must be on the commercial document that transfers ownership.
- Supplier approval log (Excel): supplier name, CoC code, scope, species covered, date verified, next check date, verifier signature.
02 Receiving and stock
- Goods receiving records tied to MSC batches: GRN linked to PO, Surat Jalan, and supplier invoice.
- Kartu Stok or WMS extracts showing batch/lot IDs, storage location, and MSC status.
- Warehouse map and photos of signage/labels that show segregation.
03 Production and rework
- Production batch sheets with input–output quantities, scrap/rework recording, and MSC/non-MSC identification.
- Cleaning schedules and line-clearance checks when switching between MSC and non-MSC.
04 Sales claims and shipping
- Sales invoices, Packing Lists, and Surat Jalan that include the MSC claim and your CoC code.
- Customer PO referencing MSC requirements.
05 Training and competence
- Training matrix and records for staff handling receiving, warehousing, production, dispatch, and documentation. Include a brief MSC awareness slide and sign-in sheet.
06 Internal controls
- Internal traceability test records (see plan below).
- Monthly mass-balance spreadsheet with inputs, outputs, yields, and variance explanation.
- Nonconformity and corrective action log.
07 Subcontractors and transport
- Subcontractor approval and scope alignment if you outsource freezing, packing, or storage. Include contracts that reference MSC handling and segregation.
- Transporters list and control of sealed shipments if you rely on third-party logistics.

Practical tip: name files like “2025-03-02_SupplierName_MSC-C-XXXXX_scope.pdf.” Auditors appreciate predictable file names.

How to verify supplier MSC certificates quickly

Use the MSC Certificate Checker and search by supplier name or CoC code. Save a PDF or screenshot of the scope page and validity dates.
Confirm the scope covers the exact activity and product form you buy (for example, trader, processor, species and form such as fillet or loin).
Record the verification date in your supplier approval log. Re-verify at least quarterly or when you see a status change.

If you’re unsure whether a product description fits the supplier’s scope, we can sanity-check it. Need a quick view? Contact us on whatsapp.

Do I need translations for Bahasa Indonesia documents?

Auditors in Indonesia typically accept Bahasa source documents. Provide:

Bilingual headers on key forms (Receiving, Production, Dispatch) or a one-page legend translating common fields (Nomor PO, Surat Jalan, Faktur, Kartu Stok, Kode Lot, Jumlah, Lokasi, Retur).
English summaries for core items: your MSC procedure, the supplier approval log, and the mass-balance sheet.

A simple approach is to add English column headers in parentheses on your existing forms. That’s enough 9 times out of 10 in our audits.

Week 3: Run the quick mass-balance and prove segregation

How do I complete a quick mass balance for mixed MSC and non-MSC stock?

Build one sheet per product family and period. Columns that work:

Opening MSC stock (kg)
MSC receipts (kg)
Available MSC (opening + receipts)
MSC production inputs used (kg)
Yields by product (finished goods in kg)
MSC sales shipments (kg)
Closing MSC stock (kg)
Calculated closing = Available − Inputs
Variance vs actual closing (kg and %)
Explanation of variance

Example. For Grouper Fillet (IQF): Opening 1,200 kg. Receipts 3,000 kg. Available 4,200 kg. Inputs 3,600 kg. Calculated closing 600 kg. Actual closing 585 kg. Variance −15 kg (−2.5%). Explain as drip loss and trim to IQF glaze. Attach production sheets to support yields.

Do the same for tuna items like Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade). Yields differ by cut, so don’t mix loins, saku, and cubes in one line. Auditors look for logic before precision.

How can I prove physical and paperwork segregation in a small plant?

We recommend three layers:

Visual controls. Colored totes and pallet tags. Blue = MSC, white = non-MSC. Signs at each zone. Photos in your pack showing examples.
Paperwork flags. Every record with an MSC batch has an “MSC” tick box and your CoC code. Use red stamp “NON-MSC” for mixed lines so no one is guessing.
Process controls. Line-clearance form between runs. Cleaning record signed by supervisor. Separate defrost and staging areas if possible. If you can’t physically split, then time-segregate and document the sequence.

For SKUs like Swordfish Steak (IQF) and Grouper Fillet (IQF), keep WIP trays labeled with product, lot, and status. A photo log during audits has saved clients more than once.

Week 4: Do the internal traceability test and clean up invoices

How do I run an internal traceability test before the audit visit?

Do one “forward” and one “backward” test on recent lots.

Forward test (receiving to shipping):

Pick an MSC receiving lot from the last 30 days.
Pull supplier invoice, Surat Jalan, PO/BTB, and GRN.
Trace into production sheets. Identify outputs and finished lots.
Follow to dispatch. Verify sales invoice, Packing List, Surat Jalan include the MSC claim and your CoC code.
Reconcile quantities with Kartu Stok/WMS and your mass-balance sheet.

Backward test (customer to supplier):

Pick an MSC sales invoice.
Verify the invoice claim and CoC code.
Trace back to production batch, then receiving lot.
Confirm supplier MSC status and claim on their invoice.

Record the steps, attach screenshots or scans, and sign off. Aim to complete each test in under 45 minutes. If you get stuck, that’s a signal to fix numbering or filing before the auditor finds it.

What must appear on my sales invoices to make a valid MSC claim in Indonesia?

Minimum elements we check:

Clear product description and form. Example: “Grouper Fillet, IQF, Skinless.”
The MSC claim. Example in Bahasa: “Produk bersertifikat MSC” or in English: “MSC certified.” Don’t add the ecolabel unless you have a logo license.
Your valid MSC Chain of Custody code. Format: MSC-C-XXXXX.
If mixed orders, identify which line items are MSC and which are not. Avoid blanket footer claims that could mislead.
Matching claim on associated documents. Packing List and Surat Jalan should mirror the invoice product descriptions and lot numbers.

Sample line: “Grouper Fillet IQF, Skinless. MSC certified. CoC: MSC-C-12345.” For consistency, your product catalog can use the same names as on your website or spec sheets. See our item naming style on View our products.

Common nonconformities we keep seeing in Indonesia (and quick fixes)

Missing or vague invoice claim. Fix the template. Add a forced field for “MSC claim” and your CoC code on every MSC line.
Supplier certificate expired or out of scope. Re-verify and quarantine doubtful lots. Keep a quarterly verification routine.
Storage mixing. Use colored tags and floor markings. Audit weekly, snap photos.
Unlabeled WIP. Require lot and status on any tote leaving a workstation. No label, no move.
Mass-balance variance with no explanation. Add a “variance reason” column and link to production loss records.
Training gaps. Give a 20-minute refresher and sign-off for receiving, warehouse, production, and admin.
Subcontractor not approved for MSC handling. Either remove MSC status from those jobs or formalize the subcontractor approval and scope.
Ecolabel misuse. Claims on paperwork are allowed under CoC. The blue oval logo on packaging needs a separate license and artwork approval.

Resources you can deploy this month

One-page bilingual legend for forms. Map “Surat Jalan,” “Faktur,” “Kartu Stok,” “Kode Lot,” “Jumlah,” “Lokasi” to English.
Mass-balance template. Keep it to one tab per product family with the columns above. Protect the formulas.
Traceability test checklist. Two pages: forward and backward. Time-stamp how long each step takes.
Photo log. Warehouse and line photos that show segregation and labels. Date-stamped.

Here’s the thing. Once the document pack exists and your teams know where to file, the audit becomes a show-and-tell rather than a treasure hunt. If you want a quick review of your invoice wording or mass-balance sheet before your visit, Contact us on email. We’re happy to flag the issues we see most often.

30-day recap you can pin on the wall

Week 1. Verify suppliers, fix invoice templates, set up folder structure, and collect the last 3 months of documents.
Week 2. Label storage, formalize line-clearance and cleaning records, train staff, and build the supplier log.
Week 3. Complete mass-balance for key product families. Do a warehouse walk with a camera and close any segregation gaps.
Week 4. Run two traceability tests, correct file naming, and spot-check 10 invoices for claim accuracy and CoC code.

In our experience, teams that follow this sequence pass with minor findings at worst. And they spend less time firefighting during peak season because the system runs itself. If you need clean SKU definitions to standardize claim wording, browse examples like Grouper Fillet (IQF) or Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade) and mirror that precision in your ERP and invoices. It keeps auditors happy and customers confident.