External docs
Crodge,
Howdy. Strictly speaking, the only things you must do with external documents is identify them and control their distribution. This comes directly from 4.2.3-f. The other requirements of document control do not apply (unless you want them to apply).
To identify them, you could simply list them on some kind of master listing. To control their distribution, you could also indicate where copies of these are been distributed. If you're going to set up a master list, I would also indicate the revision level/date of the external document, just as an additional control measure.
It's worth noting that this is the only place in 4.2.3 where it requires you to control distribution. The reality is, however, that if you have hardcopy internal documents, distribution control is a very good idea. Not a requirement, but a *very* good idea.
For more information on document control from my perspective, check this article of mine from Quality Digest (June 2002):
http://www.qualitydigest.com/june02/html/doccontrol.html. I'd enjoy hearing your feedback on it, positive or negative, after you've had a chance to give it a look. And, of course, feedback is welcome from everybody else, too.
Talk to you soon,
CC
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Craig Cochran
Economic Development Institute
Georgia Institute of Technology
[email protected]