Hi All, i hope i get a reply to this trend. I'm currently heading up the Document Control & QUality function within a large wind energy company. My main issue is we have a lot of external partners, and design and build contractors, but no one way of using document numbers. For internally produced doc's i'm fine, but when it come to Design and build, i'm having a few issues, we would have maybe 8-12 contracting companies producing drawigns, doc's etc on any 1 project and i can't seem to fit a numbering system that would work for us. For each company they have their own, i.e. ISO is a requrement, but how do i make it more efficent for our company as the client.?? it's bugging me on how to fix this, :confused: has anyone got a suggestion out there, eventually this company will be using me to head up DC in Europe and the US. so am desperate for there a good soloution??
thanks for you time
Jackie

Is there a need to include all the individual docs of your contracting companies. Why not control by specification and let them deal with the individual documents. If you need to approve changes to their docs...how about being a signature on their ECO's or DCN's for inital release and any subsequent changes. Then you simply need to keep track of those. Good Luck. Rich

Thanks Rich, i think my main issue is this: the contract requests the documentaion, not a problem there, BUT - we don't provide them with numbers, so lets say, electrical contractor would have his own number, then the civil guy, then the cable guy's, so i've all these doc's comming in, with no consistent formation. I'm trying to say, right apply our project numbers, but then their doc numbers are different from trare to trade, e.g some use 6 ddigits, some use letters, and when the project is complete the handover looks and feels all over the place. but not only this, it'll also involve our consultants, doing reports, surveys, so i want to be able to see a consistent numbering from them all for a project then hand over is a consistent manar to the operations guy's. pre- construction isn't too bad, it's the design and build i have a problem with.
thanks
Jackie

Hi Jackie...perhaps you can use your numbering scheme and then cross-reference their docs. Just like parts can have multiple numbers..so can documents. Your final build will be an index of your numbers cross-referencing all these other docs.

I hope you are using a software document record system. Then you can easily arrange your doc numbers. Click on one and up pops the source document from whereever. The operations guys can log in with all the doc numbers applicable to their build arranged in a tidy package. In your situation you really need this. Best regards. Rich

Thanks Rich, i think my main issue is this: the contract requests the documentaion, not a problem there, BUT - we don't provide them with numbers, so lets say, electrical contractor would have his own number, then the civil guy, then the cable guy's, so i've all these doc's comming in, with no consistent formation. I'm trying to say, right apply our project numbers, but then their doc numbers are different from trare to trade, e.g some use 6 ddigits, some use letters, and when the project is complete the handover looks and feels all over the place. but not only this, it'll also involve our consultants, doing reports, surveys, so i want to be able to see a consistent numbering from them all for a project then hand over is a consistent manar to the operations guy's. pre- construction isn't too bad, it's the design and build i have a problem with.
thanks
Jackie

This reply assumes that ISO 9001 is the standard. You're dealing with documents of external origin, which must be controlled, but they don't have to be controlled within your company's numbering system. I understand that you might realize this and still want to control them that way for continuity and consistency, but as you've discovered, it's a monumental task when there are lots of documents and sources involved.

The only way I can think of doing it your way would be to invoke new resources (people, mainly) for "translating" everything into a consistent format. If you force your system onto your suppliers, you're putting them in the same position you're in now--having to reconcile disparate formatting issues.

Without knowing more about what's involved, I think I would just create a system for controlling external documents in their native formats and numbering schemes, with perhaps a central cross-reference (a database) to your own identifiers. This would mean keeping things from each supplier physically separate from the rest, although all could be filed per project.

Hi All, i hope i get a reply to this trend. I'm currently heading up the Document Control & QUality function within a large wind energy company. My main issue is we have a lot of external partners, and design and build contractors, but no one way of using document numbers. For internally produced doc's i'm fine, but when it come to Design and build, i'm having a few issues, we would have maybe 8-12 contracting companies producing drawigns, doc's etc on any 1 project and i can't seem to fit a numbering system that would work for us. For each company they have their own, i.e. ISO is a requrement, but how do i make it more efficent for our company as the client.?? it's bugging me on how to fix this, :confused: has anyone got a suggestion out there, eventually this company will be using me to head up DC in Europe and the US. so am desperate for there a good soloution??
thanks for you time
Jackie

I work in the oil and gas exploration and production business on the client side and we address your problem in our contracts. We allow all contractors and suppliers to use their own systems, in fact we want them to to ensure good quaility control, and then we require that they add our document numbering system to their documents. In our shop we use our numbers, and in their shop they use theirs. This works for numerous milti billion$ projects the world over.:cool:

Maybe another way to picture what's being said is picture everything having a Customer/Supplier number and an Internal number. Just like a physical part would. That way would allow them to keep their system and yours separate but related via documenting both on the paperwork. If they bulk.. remind them that it's no different than referencing your PO (Purchase Order) on their document. Good Luck.