Controlling Manual - Control of 10 Printed Manuals throughout our 9 Branches

[tomjess]

I need to control 10 printed manuals throughout our 9 branches.

The current version of the manual has "Uncontrolled when printed" at the bottom of each page.

Do I need to keep to master copies, one with and one without?

Thanks in advanceprinted

 

[Chance]

Re: Controlling Manual

Can you maintain a list of who received those copies? Date, Signature of Recipients, Version No.?

 

[tomjess]

Re: Controlling Manual

Thanks Chance for the quick reply, yes I can keep those sort of records. I just feels odd to contol something which says its uncontrolled when printed.

 

[Marc]

Re: Controlling Manual

Are referring to an electronic file which you have control of and all the plants can access (but not change), but if they print them out "uncontrolled" is in the footer? Or do you mean each branch has a physical paper copy (or a binder with a bunch of documents in them) which you give them which you control?

 

[tomjess]

Re: Controlling Manual

Hi Marc, each will branch will have a physical paper copy of the manual, which i need to control. There is an electronic version on the company intranet, which cannot be changed, so when printed it will be an uncontrolled copy.

 

[Marc]

Re: Controlling Manual

Put a face page in each manual with it's identification number (or what ever you use). Include a note which explains the "uncontrolled" footer notation.

I would sort of feel uncomfortable with that footer as well. Is there a reason you can't get 9 copies of the document(s) without the footer? Let's say it's in MS Word, just for that print run delete the footer and replace it after the print.

I am sorta surprised that you have paper copies at each branch when the people can get to the master documents on the corporate intranet.

 

[tomjess]

Re: Controlling Manual

Most of our staff does not have access to a computer as they work off site, we install fire alarms and sprinklers and compliance testing. So a paper copy at reception will at least give them a chance to view and read.
I have already numbered them 1 to 10 and have a register.
A footnote on page one explaining will be a good idea, thanks

 

[Marc]

Re: Controlling Manual

You might want to have an explanation of the system you use to control those manuals somewhere, such as in your document control procedure or as a stand alone procedure.

 

[Pancho]

Hi Tom,

Other bits of tech that you may want to consider to solve your problem: tablets and cloud.

1)
Give your field staff tablet computers: You do away completely with the thick, difficult to update, paper manuals. You provide current, updated manuals available at their points of use and when they need them -- when doing the work.

2)
Place your docs on a server. Cloud software such as Dropbox allows everyone to access the exact same copy of the document. And wiki software would allow everyone in your company to collaborate in improving your documentation.

The combination of these two tools would make your documentation much more useful, and you'd free yourself from contradictory footers to boot.

Good luck!
Pancho