Resource guide

WPS vs WPQR (and PQR): what is the difference?

A WPS (welding procedure specification) tells the welder how to make a weld; a WPQR, called a PQR under ASME IX, is the test record that proves the procedure works. The welder's own qualification is a third record again: a WPQ under ASME IX, a test record (often called a WQTR) under AWS D1.1, or an ISO 9606-1 certificate.

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Last updated 9 October 2026. Reviewed by Soteriaa team.

Short answer

A WPS is the instruction for how a weld should be carried out. A WPQR (a PQR under ASME IX or AWS D1.1) is the test record that proves the procedure and sets its qualified range. Teams usually track the WPS reference, the supporting WPQR reference, qualified ranges, examining body details, and the source documents that connect the two.

Comparison table

WPS vs WPQR vs PQR vs WPQ at a glance

Three records, three questions. The procedure records sit on the left; the welder's own qualification is on the right.

On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to see every column.

WPS	WPQR / PQR	Welder qualification (WPQ / WQTR)
What it is	The written instruction for making a weld.	The record of a test weld made and tested to qualify the procedure.	The record that a named welder passed a qualification test.
Question it answers	How should this weld be made?	Has this procedure been proven, and for what range?	Is this welder qualified to make the weld?
Who mainly uses it	Welders and supervisors.	Welding coordinators, inspectors and auditors.	Supervisors allocating work; coordinators confirming continuity.
ISO name	WPS	WPQR (ISO 15614-1)	Welder qualification certificate (ISO 9606-1)
ASME IX name	WPS	PQR (form QW-483)	WPQ
AWS D1.1 name	WPS	PQR	Welder, Welding Operator, or Tack Welder Qualification Test Record (often shortened to WQTR)

Names as used in each standard. TWI describes the ISO 15614-1 WPQR as technically equivalent to an ASME PQR; the qualification rules behind them still differ.

WPQR vs PQR

WPQR and PQR: the same job under different standards

If you work to ISO 15614-1 you write a WPQR. If you work to ASME IX or AWS D1.1 you write a PQR. Both record a test weld and its results, and both set the range a WPS can be written to.

Under ASME IX the PQR is commonly recorded on form QW-483, and the WPS is written within the ranges the PQR supports. AWS D1.1 uses the same WPS and PQR pair. Because the variables and ranges differ between standards, a WPQR to ISO 15614-1 and a PQR to ASME IX are not automatically interchangeable; check which standard your customer or contract names.

Free templates: WPS template, WPQR record template, ASME IX WPS template and AWS D1.1 WPS and PQR template.

ISO 15614-1: WPS supported by a WPQR.
ASME IX: WPS supported by a PQR (QW-483).
AWS D1.1: WPS supported by a PQR.

Use the WPS template Use the WPQR template

Welder qualification records

WPQ, WQTR and welder qualifications

WPS and WPQR are about the procedure. WPQ and WQTR are about the welder. Mixing them up is the most common source of confusion behind searches like “WPQ vs WPQR”.

Under ASME IX the welder's record is the WPQ (welder performance qualification). Under AWS D1.1 it is the Welder, Welding Operator, or Tack Welder Qualification Test Record; “WQTR” is common shorthand rather than an official acronym. Under ISO the welder holds an ISO 9606-1 qualification certificate, which must have its continuity confirmed every six months. See the ASME IX WPQ template, the welder qualification record template or welder qualification tracking.

WPQR or PQR: qualifies the procedure.
WPQ (ASME IX): qualifies the welder.
WQTR (AWS D1.1 shorthand): qualifies the welder.
ISO 9606-1 certificate: qualifies the welder; continuity confirmed every six months.

Who this is for

Most useful for teams trying to keep procedure records connected.

The page is aimed at fabrication businesses that have procedures in place, but not always a clean way to show which procedure version and which supporting record the team should rely on.

Welding coordinators

People who need to keep procedure references, revisions, and supporting records aligned across real jobs.

Quality managers

Teams that want a clearer trail from procedure instruction to procedure qualification evidence.

Businesses standardising forms

Fabricators that want WPS and WPQR outputs prepared from a more controlled record set instead of one-off templates.

What to track

Track the instruction, the supporting record, and the link between them.

The clearest setup usually separates WPS and WPQR as different record types, then makes the relationship between them easy to review.

That approach makes it easier to answer which WPS is current, which WPQR supports it, what the qualified ranges are, and which source document should be opened if someone needs the original record.

In Soteriaa's welding procedure software, WPS and WPQR are separate records, a WPS links to its WPQR, and both print to PDF. Ranges are entered by hand as written on the WPQR; Soteriaa does not calculate, check or approve them.

WPS reference, revision, status, welding process, joint type, position, and scope details.
WPQR reference, test date, certificate number, examining body, and qualified ranges.
A clear parent or supporting link between the WPS and WPQR record.
Related material group, thickness, diameter, or product-type notes commonly used in your workflow.
Supporting documents and the signed originals your team relies on.

See WPS and WPQR management Read the EN 1090 record-control guide

Review your procedure structure and approval requirements before deciding exactly how WPS and WPQR references are presented.

Soteriaa procedure management views showing linked WPS and WPQR records. — Procedure register
Keep procedure references easier to review
A live register helps teams see which records support each other without relying on file names alone.

Spreadsheet and folder failure points

Why procedure control gets messy fast.

The more procedures and revisions a team has, the more costly it becomes to rely on folder names and manual cross-references.

The WPS is separated from its support

People can find the working instruction, but not the supporting WPQR record that explains the qualified basis behind it.

Superseded revisions remain in circulation

Without a live status view, the team can keep local copies of older WPS files and lose confidence in which version is current.

Qualified ranges are trapped in PDF text

That makes it harder to compare procedures, answer scope questions, or prepare new outputs from the same underlying record.

Form preparation becomes repetitive

Teams repeatedly type the same procedure details into new layouts because the source data is not stored as reusable fields.

How Soteriaa helps

Connect the procedure workflow to the rest of the record set.

These links show where procedure control fits into the broader qualification and welding-record story.

Limitations and scope

This guide is for general record-management information only. It is not legal, certification, or standards interpretation advice.

Soteriaa helps organise WPS and WPQR records, prepare printable outputs, and link supporting references. It does not approve procedures, replace signed originals, or interpret standards on your behalf. Review every workflow against your own procedure and certification requirements.

FAQ

WPS, WPQR and PQR questions

These are common practical questions from teams that want a clearer procedure register without over-claiming what software can replace.

What is the simple difference between a WPS and a WPQR?

A WPS is the written instruction the welder follows. A WPQR is the record of the test weld that proves the procedure works and sets the range it covers. Each WPS should point to the WPQR (or WPQRs) that support it.

Is a WPQR the same as a PQR?

They do the same job under different standards. ISO 15614-1 calls the record a WPQR; ASME IX and AWS D1.1 call it a PQR. TWI describes the ISO WPQR as technically equivalent to an ASME PQR, though the qualification rules behind them differ.

What is the difference between a WPQ and a WPQR?

A WPQR qualifies the procedure. A WPQ (welder performance qualification, under ASME IX) qualifies the person. The ISO equivalent of a WPQ is an ISO 9606-1 welder qualification certificate.

Should every WPS show its parent WPQR reference?

Many teams do that because it makes the supporting chain easier to review. The exact structure should still follow your own procedure and certification requirements.

Can Soteriaa replace signed WPS or WPQR documents?

No. Soteriaa helps organise procedure records, prepare printable outputs, and link supporting references. It does not replace approved signed originals.

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