Lessons Learned - Document Control?

T

TEJ09242010

#1
My company is starting up a document control/records management group and I've been given an opportunity to lead the effort. I was wondering if I could get any lessons learned or tips on what has worked well vs what hasn't on the following points. I've been reading through many of the posts on this forum and feel the experience here could be beneficial as I begin placing the steps for my company to start off in the right direction:

1) We're beginning off in a paper based filing/control system until we can procure an electronic management system. Is there anything I can do in this interim period to help create a more seamless migration from paper to computer? I don't want to create more red tape than necessary and am a firm believer in less is more and following the regulatory orders rather than creating petty internal regulations

2) I haven't begun collecting documentation for control as I want a clear outlined plan of who is responsible for what so all parties involved understand their scope and the end result. Have any been responsible for the daunting task of beginning the orderly collection and control of project documentation with a lack of system and staff at this time?

3) Quality Documentation Control and Configuration Management - we're in the process of reviewing previously established procedures, plans, and forms for our project use and will begin the creation, control, and maintenance of documentation organic to our company. I feel this is a prime opportunity to start out on the right foot so we're all working in the same direction.

If the topics are vague, I apologize up front. I'm trying to look at this in a big picture posture as I know this is going to be a large effort. Any assistance is appreciated.
 
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Jen Kirley

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#2
Good morning,

Based on years of groping around for the appropriate procedure for this-or-that while auditing, I can give some insights for system usability.
  • Avoid making a procedure for everything. The rule of thumb is to solidify into written procedures the tasks that are important to be consistently performed the same way - and a capable substitute should be able to take over the process using the document. A flow chart could work for many things - consider scripted flow charts.
  • Avoid splitting up processes into so many procedures that a person needs to use two or three to get a process done.
  • There's a general expectation of a Master List, but I would go one step farther and make a process map of the organization with the procedures noted in the various parts of the process map. This could help eliminate the guesswork that frustrates people enough to not use the procedure.
  • Consider keeping the documents online as .pdfs and using hyperlinks in this process map to access the procedures in the computer network.
  • Ask the people doing the process to help make the procedure, but keep the documents formatted similarly.
  • When updating the procedures, use the Track Changes so it's easy to see what's changed. Upon saving, the document can be saved in .pdf to avoid making changes "on the fly."
  • There is considerable hubbub and confusion regarding how to go about approvals. There is nothing wrong with sending it out in an email and collecting replies saying "I approve." These email strings can be printed out and saved as proof of approvals, or maybe saved as a document - depends on your email system.
  • Consider a matrix method to identify what type of document requires approval by which group and what level of authority. Keep it current by saving the revisions as responsibilities change, or else use Track Changes. This can be done using Excel. Auditors will expect to see something to the effect.
I hope this helps! It's all I can think of for now.
 
S

SJWoodcox

#3
:yes:In my corporation, they have an excel spreadsheet set up as the Master List if you will. This had the document hyperlinked so you could access immediately, however filing system quite simple everything is filed in folders on the shared drive, it is broken down by plant location, then department, and then what type of document SOP, WI, OPL(one point lesson), VA(visual aid). We have the "document control center" set up as read only so no worries about accidentally deleting, I also have a tab on the spreadsheet that contains the archive documents as well.

We are in the crawl stages of Document Control, and have a lot to learn and do, I am currently working to convert current system into our SharePoint site. This will reduce the frustration of document location. Which is why the Excel spreadsheet is nice you can filter for your document or Ctrl + F to find it.

Hope this helps just a note on above I work for a food processing plant we obtain our certification from SQF which allows us alot of lea way in creating our system-very different from QS9000 which I came from previously.

Good Luck and you are not alone.
 
A

arios

#5
Hi,
sorry, what is your industry and what is your regulatory environment to conform with?
br
Sz.
Good point!, :applause: glad you raised this question so the answers are bassed considering the potential additional requirements or best practices which could vary from sector to sector
 
T

TEJ09242010

#6
Hi,
sorry, what is your industry and what is your regulatory environment to conform with?
br
Sz.
Sorry about that - our industry is mainly construction and the regulatory environment we have to conform with is DoD
 
S

SJWoodcox

#7
We are a food processing facility-tomatoes and we are certified SQF 2000. So we have HACCP, and FDA compliances as well. But our auditing for our certification if through SQF.
 
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