The ISO 9001 standard is looking after us. It cares for us from several angles. One of these cares regards our documentation. The conventional requires that people will document by all means. But inaddition it cares that people won't get confused and mix up different documents from different sources. Therefore it requires all documents to be controlled. This is simply not a suggestion but a requirement. You need to control your documents. In order to achieve documents control you must maintain a method. This process must be among the organizations quality procedures and it ought to be called "Documents Control" ;.In this procedure you must refer to another type of issues.

Forms of records

Initially, you must define what documents this procedure would include. Documents may be working procedures, diagrams, technical specifications, price quotes etc. In order to not "swirl" around too many documents, let's make it clear. Let's define exactly what a document is: Communication of information Evidence for correspondence Sharing of any kind of knowledge Approved documents Someone within the business must supervise all documents and see they are suited to working before they're released.

The reason is to stop any faults where unsuitable documents are increasingly being used or information that's classified is handed to wrong bodies. It must define for whom it is authorized and when must he approve any document. Who's responsible? The exact same one who's in charge of the info documented. It must engage in his job description. You can find situations that several function will be had a need to approve one document. It happens when several process is documented using one document.

Updated documents

This requirement assures that always the final version is the version being used - and not an older. Therefore you must define a way for maintaining updated version and elimination of older versions. How would one know what's the final version? Usually organizations manage a list of editions and updates for documents. You are able to manage the document itself. But most important, it must indicate the document itself as the final edition. In this way, any employee that would use the document, would be sure that he holds the final edition. Of course, don't forget to document the method. It is also needed to define what to do with the old versions which can be now not updated. How will you handle them? Are they to be destroyed, archived etc. Managing editions must include: Date of last update The cause of the update The big event who demanded the update

The big event that authorized the update Even though the ISO 9001 standard doesn't require these requirements specifically, it'd allow you to achieve its basic requirements. Of course you would use what's suited to your organization Dokumenty kolekcjonerskie. Today there is of document management softwares. These software, naturally qualify for the standard requirements nonetheless it is recommended to examine anyone before purchasing. Availability and distribution of documents That is an un separated the main last requirement. Defining the availability and distribution of documents must include these:

User authorization - to which it is authorized to use the document.

The precise location of the document - where must the document be kept before and after use. Nearly all of today's process management systems (such as ERP or CRM systems) provide documents control relevant to the procedure they handle. They present the user with a display (a screen on some type of computer system is a report like any document) with defined information to input. Most of these systems even offers authorization module installed. However when systems like the ones mentioned do not exist in the business, it must provide with his employees the relevant updated documents. Which means the most recent editions. In order to ensure that, the standard demand a documented method. How to obtain that? Well, this will depend on your organization and his substructures.

Identification of documents

Any document (internal or external) must be identified somehow. Any internal document should have a name, serial number, catalogue number or whatever. Somehow to define it. The ISO 9001 standard requires that you maintain a way to reach identification. The identification must include the numbering, coding or nevertheless, you decided to spot it. However it must document the method. You need to also include location of documents. How you can trace the document. for instance customer's files are scanned to the computer or stored in certain closet. The ultimate purpose of all this is to reach control of the documents - any employee, once he looks at a report or attempting to trace a report, would know where you should approach: a department, a procedure, some function or any kind of identification relevant to your organization.

When we look again at process management systems, then it is much simpler. Any document in those systems is identified by several some kind, produced by the system. The number is given according for some internal method. In this instance you mustn't document this method but mention it in the task these specific documents are managed. In the event you can find documents which can be manually managed you must document the method. All this also applies for external documents. Any documentation that arrives from outside (with presumption that it's a report as defined) is within the ISO 9001 standard requirement. In this instance you must specify what's regarding these documents and where you can trace them in the hour of need. Like, where you should file the documents. Again, you define the strategy based on your organization's nature.

Documents removal

You need to define a way for documents removal for any reason: un updated, out of good use, etc. the strategy must include what's it regarding the document and who's responsible, once it is out of use. Like, removing old documents from the organization's server for no more use or removing old forms from the offices that no one would use them again. Some of this things sound trivial and they're, but nevertheless this is a ISO 9001 standard requirement.