Document Control is an important, if not critical, process that all businesses should have in place.
Document Control involves ensuring your documents are controlled in a manner that makes them current and correct so they can be used in your business.
Using out-of-date documentation can be worse than using no documentation!
What documentation needs to be controlled?
Any documents that are used to run the business or develop/build/maintain plant & equipment, buildings, projects, should be controlled, as they provide the instructions and information to perform tasks.
This can be achieved by:
Defining a unique and meaningful numbering system;
Sending and tracking documentation on a review and approval cycle;
Ensuring all documentation is maintained at the most current revision;
Documentation is accessible by all parties;
Expediting outstanding documentation on review and approval;
Transmitting documentation to stakeholders;
Maintaining a history of the development of revisions;
Maintaining a list of recipients for distributed copies.
