Use Excel AQL Sampling Calculator To Reduce Inspection Costs
Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) is the maximum percent defective (or maximum number of defects per 100 units) that can be considered acceptable. AQL is measured in defects per 100 units.
Why That Matters: You only need a small sample to accept or reject a batch of product.
QI Macros AQL Tables take the guesswork out of choosing a sample size.
Go Deeper: AQL Tables | Single Sampling | Zero-Based Sampling
To calculateĀ sample sizeĀ using AQL, you need to know:
- Lot or Batch Size of incoming or outgoing product
- Acceptable Quality Level (AQL)
Input value of 1 means 1% or 1 defect per 100 units. - Inspection Level (I, II, III - usually level II)

AQL Sampling Calculator - Single Sampling
QI Macros calculator has drop down menus for each variable. Just click on each cell in column B to access the menus.
Step 1 - Select the lot or batch size by clicking on cell B3 and then the pull-down menu.
Step 2 - Set the AQL Level (typically 1, but can vary) by clicking on cell B4 and then the pull-down menu.
Step 3 - Set the Inspection Level (typically II) in cell B5.
NOTE: ALWAYS use the click-able, drop-down menus when entering your Lot, AQL, and Inspection Level.
The template will look up the Sample Size (5) and accept/reject levels (0/1) from the AQL Table. The lot size and inspection level give the letter code "C" which gives a sample size of 5 and accept/reject of 0/1. This means take five samples and if one is defective, reject the lot otherwise accept the lot.
Our reference for the AQL Acceptance Table (Single Sampling) is: MIL-STD-105E.
AQL Sampling Calculator - Zero-Defect Sampling
Zero-Based Acceptance Sampling requires that you accept on zero; reject on 1.
There is no other option. It's a different table than standard AQL Single Sampling table, which might tell you, in some cases, to accept on 2 and reject on 3 defects.
Step 1 - Select the lot or batch size by clicking on the pull-down menu in B3.
Step 2 - Set the AQL Level (typically 1, but can vary) by clicking on the pull-down menu in B4.
The template will then look up the Sample Size (13), using the AQL level, based on: MIL-STD-1916.
Note: Zero-based acceptance sampling gives a higher sample size than the AQL Table, but may require fewer samples than AQL sampling.


QI Macros AQL Sampling Tables
QI Macros is installed as a new tab on Excel's menu. To access the tables, click on QI Macros menu, select the Calculators drop-down found in the Lean Six Sigma Templates portion of the software, and then open Sample Size Calculator.
Choose from either AQL Acceptance Table (Single Sampling) or AQL Zero-Based Acceptance Table.
Start analyzing acceptable quality levels (AQL) in just minutes.
Download a free 30-day trial. Access the AQL template now!
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