Quality Management System documentation identification

[Breizh]

Hello there,

Yes this is another question concerning the documentation identification for a Quality Management System (ISO 9001-2015)! Here is the situation, I am in the process of implementing a Quality Management System for my company. I am currently working on the rules that will help us to properly manage the documents that will be edited (ie process description, procedures, work instruction, forms etc....). I know there has already been tons of discussion about documentation codifications etc...at the end of the day I am still wondering what is the most simple system to manage properly the documentation without it being a useless and overcomplicated set of documents codifications....Yet I dont want to have documents that are not managed (ie no owners). It seems to me that having just a small ID code somewhere at the bottom of the document will be usefull to know "who, or what process" owns it. For instance let's say that within the Design & Engineering process you use at some point a check list. That check list could have somewhere written "Form-ENG-01" to say that it is the first form of the Engineering process. For me the important point here is that this document is not an "orphan", it is connected to the Design and Engineering process, and the process owner is in charge of reviewing it, and making sure its content is appropriate. Do you think it makes sense? The only issue I think of with this system is that I connect each document with a process while sometimes a document (let's say a work instruction) can be used by several different processes.

Any feedback on how you dealt with this question would be welcome!

 

[AndyN]

Yes! Simply put, "codification" isn't required, often doesn't work and usually brings a degree of bureaucracy that no-one buys into. Most documents have some kind of unique title. Use that.

 

[Breizh]

Thanks for your reply. I am not suggesting I need a codification to ensure the document is unique. It is rather to quickly identify on it who or what process owns it.

 

[Randy]

Thanks for your reply. I am not suggesting I need a codification to ensure the document is unique. It is rather to quickly identify on it who or what process owns it.

Is there any reason why the document's name couldn't make it unique?

The more complicated you make it the easier it will be to break it

 

[Breizh]

Thanks for ur reply. As I said I am not looking for a codification to make the document unique (the title is enough for it). It is to make the connexion between the document and a process or fonction that owns it.

 

[AndyN]

between the document and a process or fonction that owns it.

Isn't it apparent from the title?

 

[Randy]

Thanks for ur reply. As I said I am not looking for a codification to make the document unique (the title is enough for it). It is to make the connexion between the document and a process or fonction that owns it.

Understandable, but remember, when you start making codes & designations you'll have to create a document that contains the explanation of their meaning...Something else to control and become a stumbling block....Oh yeah, there will always without fail be that 1, 2 or 8 documents that have slipped through the cracks, aren't coded and those will be the ones I find providing evidence for the NC I'll write.

 

[Breizh]

Thank you all for your reply. For sure I don't want a senseless codification system, yet I don't find that the document title only is enough to connect it to an owner or a process. So in your organisation you only use let's say a "title" and "a date" and with that you can manage your documentation?

 

[RoxaneB]

What about processes where there are multiple owners? For example, I have procedure that touches upon both Human Resources AND Operations. The idea of developing some form of ID that easily displays the connection to the process/function owner is nice but for your purposes, perhaps, unnecessary.

Why do you believe such an approach will add value? Who is it for? The document control people?

Because my take is that this is best used for training purposes, in which case, forget the footer. I'd rather see the process(es)/function(s) near the top of the document. If the title is not enough to tell me, I'd like to be able to see at the very beginning if a document is relevant to me and what I do. Yes, I could probably read the scope or purpose section, but having a section in the title block is more efficient.

 

[Breizh]

Thank you Roxane. Your idea is exactly what I was looking for