Hey, Flip: Thanks for the quick response. Aside from a couple of teleconferencing sessions with Rodney, I have had to learn this program on my own. (Florida is too far away from Oregon for me to justify the travel there for training. Bummer.)
After typing in my original question, I have realized that my problem may be due more to the way I have the files set up, than with the way the DCS program "behaves".
I need to know if I have set up my files correctly.
Here goes:
I work in an Engineering department, writing work instructions (called PPS's, or Production Process Sheets) for operators out on the Production floor. The docs are written in MS Word and/or PageMaker. The number of PPS documents has grown to about 275. That may not seem like a lot of docs to manage, but it is like herding cats, with all the changes to specs, etc. that go on here on a daily basis. But I digress.....
After struggling with a spreadsheet-type of "tracking" system for a couple years, I finally wised up and talked my boss into letting me purchase a few licenses for the Harrington DCS v.2 program. I had a copy loaded on workstations for 1 engineer, 1 supervisor, 1 Quality Manager, and myself. I have been trying out the Approval Routing part of the program, but have found that the revision process is sort of cumbersome.
This may be due to the way I have the files stored.
I have current versions of the PPS's stored in the O drive, in a folder called "Current Docs".
Newly created or revised PPS's that are still being reviewed, are stored in a folder called "Pending".
PPS's that have been superceded, or are obsolete, are in a folder called (oddly enough!), "Obsolete".
WHY, you may ask, do I have three folders instead of one?
Well, at the time you add a new doc to the DCS system, you give the doc a name - and that name should not include the rev letter. (To facilitate subsequent database queries, the rev letter is stored in another field on the GUI, which corresponds to an Access database field.)
In the folder, a sample PPS file name looks like this: JA01_002.DOC.
Notice that there is no rev letter. This why I have to maintain three folders: "CURRENT", "PENDING", and "OBSOLETE" PPS docs.
Otherwise, I won't know which JA01_002.DOC file is rev A, B, etc.
When I add a document to the DCS program, a rev letter (A) is assigned to the PPS doc number. The program then leads me through a process that creates a path to the PPS.
Later, when I initiate a revision to that Rev A, I have to first place a copy of the Rev A PPS in the "Obsolete" folder. Otherwise it is overwritten by the new revision I am creating.
If this is not making much sense, I understand. (I developed a slight facial tic as I reread this message.)
What I'm trying to find out is if there is a better way to set up the files and folders. The DCS program works with Access to do its work, so there may be NO other way to do this.
Thanks in advance.