Interesting Discussion Controlled Copy Stamp - Document Control

[JaneB]

You're welcome. You were fortunate to catch me in a quiet lull with time to write.

I know this Doc Control stuff can confuse people, and I do feel very strongly against auditors (or anyone) trying to force certain solutions onto people where they don't have the right, and pretending or giving the impression that it's required. Good luck with your system - and always remember it is and must be your system, not your auditor's! (All good auditors fully agree with that statement by the way).

You're well on the right track - understanding is the key.

 

[savetheearth]

Will visit you when we come to Australia, will contact you then! Once again thank you !!

 

[handsofman88]

I have not seen a "Controlled Copy" stamp in use for several years now, here in Australia. Most organisations I work with have migrated their paper-based quality / safety management systems over to web-based systems. Controlled documents are registered in the Document Control module and can be viewed online at all times. Employees / system users may download and make paper copies of these documents but the document control procedure deems all such copies as "uncontrolled".

 

[JaneB]

I have not seen a "Controlled Copy" stamp in use for several years now, here in Australia. Most organisations I work with have migrated their paper-based quality / safety management systems over to web-based systems. Controlled documents are registered in the Document Control module and can be viewed online at all times. Employees / system users may download and make paper copies of these documents but the document control procedure deems all such copies as "uncontrolled".

Although online can be good (note: can be, is not automatically!) one cannot blithely assume that every organisation has the resources, the knowhow and/or the other resources including money to go online only.

PS: I see from your profile that you apparently are connected to a company that makes & sells related quality/safety web-based systems. With such a commercial interest, it would be polite to declare this, so people understand 'where you're coming from'.

 

[Marc]

ToS Restrictions, etc.

<snip> PS: I see from your profile that you apparently are connected to a company that makes & sells related quality/safety web-based systems. With such a commercial interest, it would be polite to declare this, so people understand 'where you're coming from'.

General Statement from Marc:

To be clear - No overt selling was involved in the post. An opinion without a disclaimer is not an issue. At this time the moderators and I are discussing this aspect and the clarity of the ToS here.

As a general rule, anyone reading a thread should take the time to check the profile of people who post to get an idea of that person's 'reliability' and potential conflict of interest aspects. If I look at a profile and it is a company person I look for their phone number at the least. I also look at the number of posts and usually look at the posts the person has made.

For example, look at my Profile page: Marc. Click on the "About Me" tab. Then, Click on the "Statistics" tab and click on the "Find all posts by Marc" link. In this way you can judge for yourself the reliability (post content, 'Thanks' given, Karma, etc) and conflict of interests of a registered visitor here.

As always, if you suspect a problem, you can, and hopefully will, report it to us by using the Report This Post

button.

I have posted this to increase the awareness of forum visitors.

Now - Back to the topic, please: Controlled Copy Stamps

 

[Pogi_]

Hi friends, do we need to put a controlled copy stamp on our documents to differentiate between iso documents and non iso documents?

It really depends on what type of documents you are trying to maintain. I dont think "non-iso" documents really exist by its own phrase. Normally all documents pertaining to "HOW" and "WHY" you build, protect and control your products are controlled documents (and everything that supports it directly). The word "control" in this phrase sometimes means "protection from inadvertent changes or ommision or alteration".

You can do thousands of ways to "certify" your "official controlled document" as long as it is written in your ruling guidelines as "official" mark-up that signify first true original document (not "copy") on the latest and greatest revision.

In my opinion, you dont really need to have anything on it actually if you say the official document is stored in a lets say a protected place in your company server where all types of alteration, revision or ommision is prohibited, managed and controlled and all printed copy becomes uncontrolled immediately. I saw many company do this...cost savings ???? not sure.

Also managing your documents by paper or less paper or paper less with official seal etc gives you some type of legal protection (caveate - im not in any way a legal guy so anyone that is an expert in legal in here will be a great help to build up this side of the arguement).

 

[mars77]

Re: Control Of Documents: Controlled Copy - Controlled copy stamp

Just want to ask if invoices, purchase orders, quotations (our quotations to customers) needs to be stamp with uncontrolled? and what about contracts (original or copy) between my company and customers, does it need to stamp "controlled".

I'm new here and was assigned as Management Representative where i don't have any idea how and where to start this QMS.

Can you please help me and give some tips or guidlines.

 

[rogerpenna]

You make this way to complex!! :mg: This is what you do. Keep all documents on the computer/server. These documents are your "controlled" versions. If someone needs a hard copy, they can print it, and there is a date stamp in the footer stating that: "This document expires on xx-xx-xxxx"). See?

Good luck.

Stijloor.

But saying a document expires on XX-XX-XXXX seems like a problem imho.

1 - if the document is revised, versioned, before that expiration date, , it will mean the person might be holding and using an outdated document.

2 - if the document doesn´t change for years, in theory, the person having an "expired copy" means that the person should print a new copy. If the company also follows some enviromental certification, or has environmental codes of conduct or even KPIs, printing new copies just because the stamp says the document expired, when it's still the same version as the master document, might in itself be a NC

3 - for the last case, maybe the procedure can say that expired documents should be checked against the master document for checking version number, and if still up to date, just STAMP IT ONCE MORE, setting a new expiration date, instead of printing a new one?

 

[CindyG]

Keep in mind the following:

- All documents related to your quality management system should be reviewed and approved prior issuance and implementation.
- All changes or revision on existing documents should be reviewed and approved.
- Only Process Owner can initiate change and have the complete authority to review, identify errors and place comments for correction on the entirety of document content.
- All obsolete documents should be withdrawn from all points of issue or use.
- A back-up soft copy of all controlled documents should be kept by the document controller.
- Uncontrolled copy can only be issued for i.e. revision/updating, audit, training, etc.
- Unauthorized reproduction and/or possession of controlled documents is strictly prohibited.
- Relevant versions of applicable documents should be made available at points of use.
- Change/s on document should be traceable e.g. in a revision history

Hope this helps.

The part concerning, "Uncontrolled copy can only be issued for i.e. revision/updating, audit, training, etc." Where in the standard does it reference the (electronic) hard copy printed SOP/Traveler etc., that doc ctrl issues to the build. Is that stamped? Controlled/uncontrolled?

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Why do so many people ignore what the standards say and share their “ideas”.... even when it does not agree with the standard. The standard has always required documents and information to be “controlled.” “Controlled” does not mean stamps or whatever, it means the information is Right! It means the information is accurate, the right revision, and it has been approved for use. It is a simple concept. Rewrite your procedure to describe how you make sure people are using correct, controlled information. If you don’t know if the info is right, then it is not controlled. There is no provision in any of the standards for using uncontrolled information.