Re: Stamping Documents with ‘For Reference Only’
I have heard and read about documents that are not being controlled but are stamped ‘For Reference Only’. Now, some of our guys just want to stamp their documents with it just so they won’t have to control them. When can we use this? Does ISO even allow this? I guess my confusion with this is that if you are using it for reference, then it means you need the data on it. If you need the data on it, then you need to have the latest.
How does this work? Thank you!
For all intents and purposes, what you have "heard" is inaccurate and misleading because it is based on a wrong interpretation of "control."
I have previously written an answer about "control" to you in this post
http://elsmar.com/Forums/showpost.php?p=252976&postcount=4
That part you have described is a subset of document management usually termed "configuration management" or "revision control." Actual "control" entails determining
- who may author a document
- who shall approve a document
- who may modify document
- who may have access to read or copy a document
- how the document is stored and retrieved
- how the document is distributed to folks who need to have a copy and how the organization assures the document is the most recent approved copy when it is relied upon to perform an activity (build a product or move a production line, for example)
- the retention period before a document is reviewed or other disposition determined
Along the line, depending upon individual circumstances, the degree of "security" (signature verification, vaults, retina scans, etc.) may be layered in at any or all stages of the document management and control.
The idea of having a document which is obsolete
(the usual idea of "reference only" is to have an obsolete document for REFERENCE to compare with a current version) available for someone to refer to for current use is not a good practice.
I suspect your folks who want to use "uncontrolled" documents really want to use "unsecured documents," which ARE the current versions, just not documents for which they have to sign in blood each time they hold or read a copy. The primary criterion is #6 above:
"how the document is distributed to folks who need to have a copy and how the organization assures the document is the most recent approved copy when it is relied upon to perform an activity (build a product or move a production line, for example)"
More and more, I believe everyone in your organization needs to be on the same page as to what is controlled, obsolete, or secured.