Reference Location: AS9102 glossary definition

What Reference Location means

Reference location is the Form 3 field that points reviewers to where a characteristic appears on the drawing, specification, or other controlled source.

It is especially useful on crowded drawings, multi-sheet prints, and packages with note tables because the characteristic number alone may not tell a reviewer where to look.

Use this term as a review cue: it should help connect a drawing requirement, specification, certificate, result, or approval field to the evidence a customer will inspect. If the purchase order or customer portal uses stricter wording, follow that controlled source instead of this glossary entry.

Where it appears in AS9102

AS9102 Form 3 field 6 is conditionally required. Teams often record a sheet and zone, note number, view name, specification section, or other locator that fits the customer review process.

In an Articul review, this term is treated as part of the traceability path from source drawing or flowed requirement to form field, evidence, validation issue, and final approval. Use the AS9102 standard text as the controlled source, and use this glossary to clarify reviewer-facing meaning before export. When the term is ambiguous, keep the reviewer note close to the row or field it affects.

Review notes

• Use reference locations to shorten audit navigation: the reviewer should be able to move from Form 3 to the exact drawing area without searching the whole print.
• Do not use vague entries such as drawing or sheet only when the drawing has multiple zones or repeated views.
• Keep wording, units, identifiers, and attachment names consistent across the drawing, Forms 1-3, evidence files, and any customer portal submission.

Related guides

Related glossary terms

FAQ

What does Reference Location mean in an AS9102 FAIR?

Reference location is the Form 3 field that points reviewers to where a characteristic appears on the drawing, specification, or other controlled source. Use reference locations to shorten audit navigation: the reviewer should be able to move from Form 3 to the exact drawing area without searching the whole print.

Source notes

This Articul glossary entry is based on the public AS9102 field matrix used in product validation and on the internal review patterns linked from the related guides. It is not a replacement for purchased AS9102 text, customer requirements, or purchase order flowdowns.