Document Control Workflow

[ISO_Man]

I'm currently looking at a process where I let employees update a document (MS Word, Excel, etc.) - then store them in a review folder, then I send them for e-signature and they come back as a PDF. All good, I publish the PDF file, but then next time they need to make a change I need to have the original files stored somewhere that anyone can download a copy for updates to make changes again.

How do you handle this? We don't have a QMS tool for document control yet.

 

[Ninja]

Before we went to a database system for doc control, we did something similar to what you propose (though wet sign after electronic review).

ISO Doc Coordinator and a few upper mgmt had access to the Word versions...if an employee wanted to update a doc, they'd just ask and we'd drop a copy into their folder in a public space (took less than a minute). This ensured that they were getting the latest rev to put their changes on.
It also let us weed out the willy nilly changes and cut doc revisions in half (some folks just love to endlessly tweak documents).

Doc Coordinators had read/write to the published folders, most others had read only...

As you pursue that approach, keep a good eye out for people hoarding old revs via "save as" or printing...it became too much of a problem for us, so we went with a database platform that prohibited save-as and printing. Trying to curb it by encouragement or discipline was a losing battle for us.

Also consider having a master folder of all docs printed out...a server crash during an audit might get interesting if you are electronic only...

 

[Coury Ferguson]

I'm currently looking at a process where I let employees update a document (MS Word, Excel, etc.) - then store them in a review folder, then I send them for e-signature and they come back as a PDF. All good, I publish the PDF file, but then next time they need to make a change I need to have the original files stored somewhere that anyone can download a copy for updates to make changes again.

How do you handle this? We don't have a QMS tool for document control yet.

The way I handled this was I had a folder that was identified as "Master Copies" which were in the original format. I had the Folder password protected. That password was only given to the process owners, so that they could make changes to their documents. I also had them with the review button selected, so if any changes were made they would show where the changes were made (mainly for word docs). That is how I handled changes.