Unique Document Identification Numbering System

[tomvehoski]

How does an overly complicated ID number prevent obsolete documents?

 

[Randy]

Unique? How about by Prime Numbers, that wouldn't that be unique?

1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97....

Or how about numbering by the Binary Process?

The following table shows each hexadecimal digit along with the equivalent decimal value and four-digit binary sequence:

Hex Dec Binary
0 0 0000
1 1 0001
2 2 0010
3 3 0011
4 4 0100
5 5 0101
6 6 0110
7 7 0111
8 8 1000
9 9 1001
A 10 1010
B 11 1011
C 12 1100
D 13 1101
E 14 1110
F 15 1111
etc......


Instead of fretting over something as minor than a numbering system, why not focus on the substance of the material?

 

[R. Webb]

When I number things I find the first few numbers need to reference how you will look the number up in the future - when you need to find it and can't recall the exact number. Work Instruction may start with "WI", Procedures with "PR", a customer specificaition may start with "CS". The rest of the number should lead you to the file you want to find.

Have Fun!

ps - I also try and number it so they sort in the sequence I need to sort them. This is important is you have a document control list in excel. It can get tricky but if it works out it saves time down stream!

 

[edelsal]

In my current place of employment we use the following:

 

[True Position]

Unique? How about by Prime Numbers, that wouldn't that be unique?

1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97....

Or how about numbering by the Binary Process?

The following table shows each hexadecimal digit along with the equivalent decimal value and four-digit binary sequence:

Hex Dec Binary
0 0 0000
1 1 0001
2 2 0010
3 3 0011
4 4 0100
5 5 0101
6 6 0110
7 7 0111
8 8 1000
9 9 1001
A 10 1010
B 11 1011
C 12 1100
D 13 1101
E 14 1110
F 15 1111
etc......


Instead of fretting over something as minor than a numbering system, why not focus on the substance of the material?

You could use Epoch time as well, but it's not as friendly as Julian Date / Year which is pretty widely used. Most castings have Julian dates cast in and often a year wheel so it's familiar to everybody.

 

[AndyN]

I'd really like it if someone would explain how such document numbering systems actually control documents...

 

[the_joker]

It's been my experience that the numbering system is useful only for a few things: Audit simplification, "review needed" (date of last change / revision), and finding a piece of information fast. Unfortunately it's also been my experience that these things usually are mutually exclusive. In past work-lives I've seen them done by department (find info fast), ISO / AS # (easy to audt) and sequential numbering (just plain bad).

Given current tech, I'd come down on the Wiki idea. Assuming you have the resources to support it.

Just for reference here is one I created:
Top level -> [ISO element / paragraph #]-[Rev date (yymmdd)]
Procedure -> [ISO element / paragraph #]-[3 digit counter#]-[Rev date (yymmdd)]
Work Instruction -> [ISO element / paragraph #]-[3 digit counter#]-[Letter designator (a-z)]-[Rev date (yymmdd)]
Work Instruction -> {related document #}_[Letter desgnator]-[Rev date (yymmdd)]

So... there would be a tier structure of something like:
7.1-091201 {Element outline for ISO element 7.1}
7.1-001-100315 {"first" procedure related to element 7.1}
7.1-001-A-100324 {"first" work instruction related to 7.1-001}
7.1-001_A-091214 {"first" form related to procedure 7.1-001}
7.1-001-A_A-091214 {"first" form related to work instruction 7.1-001-A}

I based it off of being able to audit easily to the elements of ISO 9000, be able to easily identify when something had been reviewed / updated and it also ends up sorting very nicely in Windows. So finding things is not horrible if you are familiar with the ISO standard.

But as I said, given current tech, a wiki is the way to go.

 

[AndyN]

Wow - audit simplification? I'd need some help understanding that one! Isn't the criteria for internal audits, the organization's QMS? Not the ISO standard? And, as has been suggested, what happens when the standard changes, as it will, that's a (potentially) huge amount of work...

I'd also be very interested to know how people go about creating documentation and if they can find their way around the numbering system...

 

[Randy]

There is of course the Dewey Decimal System or the Library of Congress Classification System both of which seem to work well

 

[PGTIPS8]

1. Keep well away from numbering documentation to ISO standard Clauses - old fashioned and nonsencical
2. Keep it simple
3. Show revision like Issue 1, issue 2 don't go for ISSUE 1 Rev3 type of numbering
4. You can align to process like MP/MECH/CAL/001 =Management Procedure on Mechcanical Calibration

Use terms that everyone is familiar with in your organisation, keep it simple index/revision/ review date cracked it!!!!!!11