Transmittal Form/Notice not being signed and returned by Clients

[Ladyrunaway]

hi,
my first post here . i am working in oil and gas industry as document controller. our procedure when sending documents to clients includes preparing transmittal notice/form to client and having the client return the form with signature, though many of our clients do not follow this, it is rather pointless filling a transmittal form. now my question is, does it states particularly on ISO9001:2008 that such forms should be filled up?

i hope theres somebody out there knows a thing or two about transmittals and ISO

 

[Jim Wynne]

hi,
my first post here . i am working in oil and gas industry as document controller. our procedure when sending documents to clients includes preparing transmittal notice/form to client and having the client return the form with signature, though many of our clients do not follow this, it is rather pointless filling a transmittal form. now my question is, does it states particularly on ISO9001:2008 that such forms should be filled up?

i hope theres somebody out there knows a thing or two about transmittals and ISO

Welcome to the Cove.

Unless there's some compelling reason to require documents to be returned with signatures (as in the case of contractual things), perhaps just an acknowledgment would do (e.g., via email) or just having evidence of having sent the things out. ISO 9001 has nothing specific to say about it. What's the risk of not having signatures? I'm assuming there's little or no risk as this seems to be an ongoing thing. Change the procedure to reflect what's really needed.

 

[Wes Bucey]

I agree with Jim Wynne - the nature of the document dictates whether an organization needs a formal acknowledgement signed by an authorized human at the receiving organization. (Think of something like a registered or certified letter or a C.O.D. shipment - it requires a signature; regular mail does not.)

Some, not all, documents which might require acknowledgment by an authorized person:

1. Notice of recall of dangerous product
2. Cited as a contract provision when customer orders
3. Notice of change in pricing/delivery/components/formulas/etc.
4. Cases where client and supplier have been in a spitting match about when products or documents are received.

Be aware, though, those acknowledgments and signatures probably do not have to be by snail mail or Fedex or the like unless it is a mater of law. Usually, they can be via email or even verbal via phone. For verbal replies, the party getting verbal acknowledgment can merely make a written notation of Who, and When about the acknowledgment.

The party seeking acknowledgment can merely phone or email and ask, "Did you get it? If yes, say yes or just click "Reply and Send."

 

[Ladyrunaway]

Hi, it has been in our document control guideline that everytime we issue documents to client, along with the documents we will send a transmittal note and ask for acknowledgment, though most of them just repy on the email, and this seems to be ok as well

i guess what i really would like to ask is if ISO actually requires an evidence that the documents has been passed on to the client and that client actually received the documents.

if i need to just show that documents has been sent to client then i guess i dont have to ask the client to acknowledge the transmittal...

 

[Jim Wynne]

Hi, it has been in our document control guideline that everytime we issue documents to client, along with the documents we will send a transmittal note and ask for acknowledgment, though most of them just repy on the email, and this seems to be ok as well

i guess what i really would like to ask is if ISO actually requires an evidence that the documents has been passed on to the client and that client actually received the documents.

if i need to just show that documents has been sent to client then i guess i dont have to ask the client to acknowledge the transmittal...

ISO doesn't require that you have the documents themselves, let alone acknowledgements. You decide. As I suggested earlier, if the process doesn't work, you should change it.