Looking for opinions / comments from an auditor's and user's viewpoint on a QMS system that has over 6,200 files spread across 685 folders.
The number of files is not a good measure of the usefulness of the QMS. And that you even measure the number of folders that contain those files is worrying.
Regardless of how many files you have, can folks get to the information they need within a few seconds? If it takes anyone more than 3 clicks or one search, then they probably can't. This makes the system not useful.
The "accessible at points of use" requirement is easy to meet with the right technology, even if you have hundreds of thousands of files.
Hierarchical file directories alone are not the right technology for anything more than a few dozen documents. Unfortunately, many will opt for "lean" or "minimal" documentation to shoehorn a QMS into just such file directories and get through a certification audit. But this shortchanges the organization: it leaves no good place or structure to deal with the growth in documentation that should come from capturing knowledge through the continual improvement cycle.
Instead of using file folders or paper binders to store your documents, create a small world network with them. You can do this with dedicated software or a database, or best of all, a wiki. Then don't hold back from documenting every little detail of your business through your CI process. Accessible documented details are quality.
