Changing Revision Numbers - Quality Manual and Forms

My dear friends,

I came back after a long time and I have to tell you that I missed you. I also brought a little problem with me. I managed to develop and after the implementation and initial audit, obtain the certificates for a safety management system, very similar to ISO.

.. and I have this problem now. I had the initial revision and I added a new document, in fact a new form. The forms, in this system are controlled documents.

..and I don't know how to proceed now. To give the document the current revision of the documentation, let's say n and in this case, how can anyone tell the difference between the system with or without this later form OR should I give this form a revision n+1 and then what? .. change the whole system revision to n+1 or leave just this document like this.

It is obvious that the documentation procedure has to be modified in order to explain clearly this revision change aspect.

Please help me with an advice.
I am looking forward for your answers.

Have a nice day!!
Paula

paula said:

..and I don't know how to proceed now. To give the document the current revision of the documentation, let's say n and in this case, how can anyone tell the difference between the system with or without this later form OR should I give this form a revision n+1 and then what? .. change the whole system revision to n+1 or leave just this document like this.

Paula

Paula,

One has to ask "How did you get to Rev n without a document revision procedure?". Anyway, if you started with "m", just add a last page to the procedure with a Revision block or section showing the latest Rev letter and a brief description of what was changed. I hope this helps, but I'm still not sure if I understood the question. Are you pursuing ISO? If so, there are two mandatory written procedures that you must address. They are Sections 4.2.3 Control of documents and 4.2.4 Control of records. Post again if I didn't get the question.

[JodiB]

QUOTE] paula said:
To give the document the current revision of the documentation, let's say n and in this case, how can anyone tell the difference between the system with or without this later form OR should I give this form a revision n+1 and then what? .. change the whole system revision to n+1 or leave just this document like this.

It is obvious that the documentation procedure has to be modified in order to explain clearly this revision change aspect.

[/QUOTE]

I don't understand. The word "system" is what is confusing to me.

Did you add this new form to a written procedure which was already released?

Or do you have a listing of forms listed at the back of your System's manual and your question is related to whether the manual's revision changes because you have added a form to the list?

The form should have it's own revision number. (And I recommend that it is not included within the body of a procedure, but that is only MHO). This revision number is not related to any other documentation at all.

If you changed your procedure so that it now references the use of the new form, the procedure will move to the next revision number. If it was N before, now it is N+1. Keep a history of revision on the back page that explains that it now references a new form, as energy said.

Does this help?

[NITIN]

Ok assume that
Procedure A has an Issue number 1
Form A is added to Procedure A
Then the form will have a issue number 1+revision no.
ie-Issue 1 Rev 1.
The cover page of the manual will similarly be updated to reflect this on the footer as Issue 1 Rev 1.
You might have a documnet change form that tracks these changes on the manual if any.

Thanks for all the answers so far. My documentation and 'system' are made according to the ISM code, which is very similar to the ISO code, but the idea is related to the safety management. You have to have document control, management review, non-conformities, corrective actions etc. procedures and also other specific procedures. The documentation is split like this: the system manual, procedures manual, forms register (so far everything is the same as in ISO) and another 3 specific manuals. Now, for sure, I have to clarify the documentation control procedure to specify more clearly how you change or add a form or procedure. In fact, this situation, when you add a new document is not treated.

So, to resume, my problem is (and I don't enter in the long details of how we got to the revision 2 - waves of changes that modified the whole documentation, either the format, or the content)that I added a new form. It will be added in the Forms register and recorded there, in the revision list. The form is refered in one of the dedicated manuals, therefore I'll change its revision to 3. My problem is now, what revision I'll use for the form. I am a little confused here.

In fact, can anyone please help me with a model of revision control procedure or instruction?

Thank you again.

--------------------------------------
What we learn to do, we learn by doing. --Aristotle

[M Greenaway]

Paula

I would give the new form revision 1 as there have been no previous revisions. I would reference the use of this form in my procedure, which would be up-issued to reflect this change. In my opinion that is all you need to do.

[JodiB]

Your form revision number is not related to any other piece of documentation. It only keeps track of how many times the form itself has been revised.

We use 0 for the initial release of a document, including forms. Then 1 for the first revision. This is briefly described in our doc control procedure.

[BobD]

The way I handle forms is as follows. Every form has its own ID number. Every form also has its own release or revision date. Then in the various procedures, I reference the form number. only. In this way if I have to make future changes to the form, I do not have to go back and change the procedure. Hope this suggestion is of some help.