Can a document approval be in the form of password?

K

Ka Pilo

ISO 9001 4.2.3 a)
to approve documents for adequacy prior to issue

Can the approval be in the form of password protection? If it can be, using this method what's the common practice of recording approval and release?
 
S

samsung

ISO 9001 4.2.3 a)

Can the approval be in the form of password protection? If it can be, using this method what's the common practice of recording approval and release?

Welcome to the Cove.

'Password protection', as the term suggests, is a method of protecting the document from some sort of abuse, not a mode of approval.

Do you mean to say, e.g. a pdf is password protected with print or edit restrictions, it can be deemed as 'approved'? I don't think so. You can opt 'digital signatures' for soft copies. However, whatever method of approval you choose, you must ensure that the documents are readable, legible and all the time accessible to those who require/ may require them.
 
K

Ka Pilo

Welcome to the Cove :bigwave:

Do you mean if a document could be approved electronically ?
What I mean is that the approvals is not in the form of a written signature but a password-protected electronic approval record. If somebody here is practicing that method, how do you record the approval and release?
 
S

samsung

What I mean is that the approvals is not in the form of a written signature but a password-protected electronic approval record. If somebody here is practicing that method, how do you record the approval and release?

I have attached a digitally signed sample document. The signature is password protected. Is it what you are interested in?
 

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K

Ka Pilo

I have attached a digitally signed sample document. The signature is password protected. Is it what you are interested in?
It could be. Thank you for the sample. Is it explicitly stated that documents must be signed?
 
S

samsung

It could be. Thank you for the sample. Is it explicitly stated that documents must be signed?

Yes our Doc. Control procedure requires signature in the event of document creation, approval, amendment and review but allows for both types of signatures, i.e. digital or physical on hard forms where it's not possible to make electronic signatures, e.g. SAP generated forms. However, in such cases, access is controlled through passwords and forms are approved on hard copies.
 

Raffy

Quite Involved in Discussions
Hi Ka Pilo,
In my previous company, they used the date stamped. It is the date where the said document was approved ny Authorized Approving Authority, i.e. Department Manager.
Hope this helps.
Best regards,
Raffy
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
It could be. Thank you for the sample. Is it explicitly stated that documents must be signed?
There is no requirement for signatures. The requirement is that documents are reviewed for adequacy prior to release, so you need to have evidence that review was done. One way to do it, if you're using a Microsoft Exchange server, is to use e-mail voting buttons.
 
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