ISO/TR 8550-3:2007 provides guidance for acceptance sampling of products that are supplied in lots and that can be classified as consisting of discrete items (i.e. discrete articles of product). Each item in a lot can be identified and segregated from the other items in the lot and has an equal chance of being included in the sample. Each item of product is countable and has specific characteristics that are measurable on a continuous scale. Each characteristic has, at least to a good approximation, a normal distribution or a distribution that can be transformed so that it closely resembles a normal distribution.

Standards on acceptance sampling by variables are applicable to a wide variety of inspection situations. These include, but are not limited to, the following: end items, such as complete products or sub-assemblies; components and raw materials; services; materials in process; supplies in storage; maintenance operations; data or records; administrative procedures.

Although ISO/TR 8550-3:2007 is written principally in terms of manufacture and production, it should be interpreted liberally as it is applicable to the selection of sampling systems, schemes and plans for all types of product and processes as defined in ISO 9000.