For Reference Only - Solves document control problems?

Somewhere along the line somebody got the bright idea that posting "For Reference Only" solves document control problems. I'm not entirely sure how it happened, but I'm assuming folks felt the need to keep obsolete documents "for reference only."

Unfortunately, what I have been seeing with more and more prevalence is a notion that anything on the floor can be "for reference only" and this is somehow all right. The most recent infraction was a gage marked as such. The gage is used to make quality decisions every day, but since the target measurements were adjusted to meet customer requirements, but not documented through the normal engineering change process, the calibration guy felt it in his best interest to mark it as "for reference only."

What's up with this? Has anyone else seen this quality virus?? -- but before you answer that, can we come to some agreement on under what criteria can a document, or a gage, or any other part of the quality management system CAN be marked "for reference only"?

What about forms? When can a form be marked "for reference only?" What about visual aids, or boundary samples. Can they be marked "for reference only?" Let's get some feedback on this so I can finally put this to bed with a somewhat official interpretation of the standard (TS/ISO/QS/VDA -- I don't care).. and what it will allow. I am seeing this practice more and more, and think it's a really bad idea.

As far as calibration goes, I don't remember who said it (it has been seen here) but if it is important enough to measure, then its important enough for the measuring device to be calibrated - period.

For documents, having a document makred "for reference only" and available for use by those performing that task is pretty risky. What happens after the next revision, can they still"reference" the old document? Why even bother with the revision, then? For that matter, why even control documents. To me, the only permissable "for reference only" documents would reside in an archive somewhere, preferably locked.

Ours are in one of our more obscure warehouses, in clearly marked boxes, with "obsolete" scrawled accross the cover of each document. The warehouse, and boxes, are so dusty that any self-respecting person would come and ask me for a copy before wading through the mess.

Just my opinion

Interesting rant.
I have a mild reputation as a "stickler," if not quite a "perfectionist."

I have only one [very mild] complaint with the use of the term "reference only" - I want them to add the tag line where the "real goods" can be found.

Given that, it just means an organization has allowed itself to add clutter to its premises without value added (their choice, not ours!)

For example:

1. Got a drawing that says "reference only"? Tell us where and how to get the official copy to avoid anyone creating or inspecting a product with an obsolete version of the drawing.
2. Got a work instruction that says "reference only"? See above.

The simple fact of "reference only" isn't that it is wrong in and of itself, but that without further elaboration, it introduces an element of ambiguity or uncertainty which can waste more time and ultimately cost more money than having only calibrated instruments or controlled documents wherever there is a possibility of making an error.

Does the guy at the receiving dock need a calibrated tape measure to check whether he gets 10 foot bar stock or 12 foot bar stock? Obviously not, but then his work instruction and ensuing ones should make clear his task is "identifying" product, not "inspecting" product.

I'm still trying to reconcile whether there are any documents in the workplace which OUGHT to be "reference only." Suggestions anyone?

I respectfully disagree with Craig H.'s first statement (sorry Craig!). IMO some measurements can legitimately be made with an uncalibrated ("for reference only") gage and I think it is appropriate in some limited circumstances -- one of which Wes pointed out regarding identifying bar stock.

Documents "for reference only" just don't sound kosher to me. I do keep clearly labeled obsolete documents sometimes as I may want to reference how we did something in the past, but the term obsolete seems much more appropriate to me.

JMO

Good discussion guys! Keep it up. I really want to put this to bed once and for all.

The only thing that we mark "for reference only" is the file folder on the network that contains obsolete editions of a chosen few documents. It's title is obsolete documents for reference only.

I have in the past used the for reference only on some things. Old copies of ASTM books that had specs pertaining to us. The individual specs we used were still current, but the book was outdated (revised). We put some of those out in a couple of areas for look-up use after X'ing out the specs that had been revised (never pertained to us, anyway). That put information in the hands of people who could benifit from it but left the most current editions in the QA office.

I really can't see much use in for reference only, at least not for documents/copies plastered all over the place. If the need is there for a copy of whatever, then maybe we aren't fulfilling the requirement for the system documentation to be available at points of use.

Here all printed (hard copy) documents are stamped "For Reference Only".
The user is responsible for verifying validity of the reference document prior to use through the electronic document control system. If the document is still valid it's OK to use if not then the user prints a new copy and shreds the old one. This saves printing a copy of a document each time it's used.

A compromise?

Terrific! How do users know to verify validity of reference document? What do they do if the system is down? Do all suppliers have access to the electronic system? How do you train them to use electronic system?

Do the documents have printed instructions how to verify and when to shred? If not, how does a user "know" what to do? Is there a "failsafe?"

I know these seem like niggling questions, but lots of errors happen when folks "assume" what other people know. It certainly seems simpler to modify the processes to avoid "reference only" documents and limit to "valid" and "obsolete" and then find a way to keep "obsolete" out of the hands of everyone EXCEPT a researcher looking to compare versions for some reason.

Compromise: Can you have system automatically print tagline on every page as printed - "This document is only valid until midnight of [printdate] - after that date, obtain new, valid document."?

From outside sources?

In a previous life, I seem to remember being told that documents from outside sources were stamped as reference only...cannot remember why. For instance, if you received a catalog/chart from a vendor you would stamp it for reference only...

This doesn't seem to make sense, I know, but I'm sure I learned it somewhere along the way.

ddunn said:

Here all printed (hard copy) documents are stamped "For Reference Only".
The user is responsible for verifying validity of the reference document prior to use through the electronic document control system. If the document is still valid it's OK to use if not then the user prints a new copy and shreds the old one. This saves printing a copy of a document each time it's used.

Click to expand...

Oops! I lied -- well, at least I wrote too fast w/o thinking beyond the issue of using "for reference only" on documents to avoid the doc control process. ::kicking myself:: Anyway, hardcopy documents here are either labeled "controlled copy" which means I know where every one is and if a revision is made I destroy the old one and replace it with the new one, or "uncontrolled copy - for reference only" and, as ddunn mentions, the user is responsible for verifying validity of the reference document prior to use. Usually this means an uncontrolled copy of a customer drawing is released to the machining area, the controlled router/traveller specifies the correct dwg/rev. so the machinist can verify the correct dwg., and after the job is done the now usually dirty and torn uncontrolled doc can just be trashcanned. Sorry for the confusion.