Copyright ©2008 AS9100 Store

Document
Control

Basics of Good Documentation

and
Document Control Systems
Steps to Building an
Effective System
• Elements of Good Documentation
• How Much do I Need?
• Outline Your Document Control System
• Maintaining Documentation
– Manual Filing/Word Processing Software
– Manage in a Database
– Document Control Software Packages
• Common Problems with Documentation
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Annual Quality Survey Report

• Identifies Document Control as the most

difficult clause to implement...

• And the most difficult clause to

maintain.

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Copyright ©2008 AS9100 Store

Step 1 in Building an
Effective System Is:

To Have Good Documentation!

Good Documentation is:

Clear
Concise
User friendly

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Avoid Drowning in Detail…..

“The purpose of this procedure is to

document the aforementioned activities,
herin after referred to as the prescribed tasks
in terms that preclude their execution in an
inconsistent manner, wherin such
inconsistency may potentially result in the
prescribed tasks delivering a result that is not
repeatable or reproducible”

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And poorly written procedures
• Why use ten words when one will do?
“The items hereinunder referenced in
some cases fell excessively outside
normal parameters.”

“The procedures contained herin

are applicable to all operations in
the following departments within
their functional ambit”

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Make procedures user friendly
 Use short sentences starting with a
verb.

 Avoid using the passive voice. Make it

clear who is performing the task.

 Use white space for easy reading.

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Copyright ©2008 AS9100 Store

Step 2: Have the Right Amount

of Documentation

But how much documentation

do I need?
Ask yourself:
Will it really Impact Customer
Requirements?

Avoid Creating too much:

 Work instructions written for virtually
everything
 Overlap and repetition - Including a
process in more than one work
instruction.
Or…
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Too little:

 Lack of work instructions where the

process affects the quality of the product.
 Employees have their own way of
performing processes
 There is variation in the process because it
is not well documented

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Documentation:
The right amount
 Remember that the goal here is
consistency for your processes.

 If two trained employees were to

perform this task, would they do it
the same way?
If the answer to this is “Maybe not” a
work instruction is appropriate.

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Copyright ©2008 AS9100 Store

Step 3: Outline Your

Document Control System
Outline document control system

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Clarify Your Terminology:
Procedure: Describes the process.
Work Instructions: Tells how to perform the
process.
Attachment: Information attached to the
procedure to help clarify the procedure.
Forms, Tables, etc.: Places to record the
results of tests, audits, etc.
Procedures describe an overall process such as "Purchasing", where as work instructions
would describe a more detailed portion of the procedure such as "Completing a PO" or
"Ordering supplies".

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What Will You Control?

• Procedures • External Docs:

• Work Instructions Customer Drawings
• • Prints
Forms
• • Drawings
Attachments
• Routers/Traveler

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Copyright ©2008 AS9100 Store

Step 4:
Where will you keep
your documents?
Planning Your Infrastructure

• ISO gives you the specs

• You prepare your own blue print
• You may choose:
– A simple word processing program.
– An existing database program
– A packaged document control software.

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What Will be Best for
Your Company?

Choose a system for your company based on:

– Company size
– Computer set-up and availability
– Number of different processes performed
– Rate of change for your processes or documents

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Your company may need more
than one type of system.

For example:
– One for quality system documents, and
– One for engineering documents

• These documents may be different enough to

make it best to have two distinct systems.

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 Copyright ©2008 AS9100 Store

Example Systems
Simple Hardcopy System
 The master electronic documents are
stored in “Word”.
 A Master list is prepared and kept in
“Excel”.
 Hard copies are copied on to paper
that is marked “CONTROLLED”.

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Simple Hardcopy System
 The hardcopies are distributed to 3-ring
notebooks throughout the facility.
– The master list indicates what procedures
and work instructions need to be in each
book.
– Copies are kept to a minimum by only
distributing relevant documents to each
area.

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Simple Hardcopy System

 One person is designated as the

Document Control Coordinator.
 This person
– keeps the master list up-to-date
– Makes revisions to documents
– Distributes revised documents
– Collects the outdated documents

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Simple Hardcopy System
 A “Change Request Form” is
available for employees to initiate
revisions to documents.
– Changes must be approved before
they are made.
– Changes are indicated by using the
revision tool in Word.
– Staff must be aware of revisions.

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Online System

 A Database is set-up to hold

procedures and work instructions.
– Lotus Notes
– Packaged System
 This may be organized into a
“Chapter System” with a chapter for
each clause of the standard.

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Online System
 Procedures and Work Instructions are
written in or loaded into the system.
 Employees are given “Rights”
– System Administrator
– Author
– Editor
– Approver
– Read Only

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Online System
 Authors write the procedures or work
instructions.
 The document is sent to the editor and
approver for approval.
 When it is approved it is automatically
moved into the “Quality Documents” and
becomes available to all those with read
rights.

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Online System
 The documents may be viewed on the
screen or printed.
 Printed documents are controlled by a
“sunset clause”
– The date printed appears on all printed
documents. Documents are valid only for
the day they are printed.

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Online System
 Some hardcopy distribution may be
necessary.
 A master list must be kept for
distributed documents.
 Controlled hardcopies need to be
identified.

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Online System
 Revisions are made by the author, and
must be reviewed and approved by the
editor and approver.
 The author must determine if the changes
affect any process that is being performed
that day.

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Engineering Prints

 A master list indicating the current

revision of each print is maintained.
– This is usually in the manufacturing
software.

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Engineering Prints

 A master file of the current print

revisions is maintained.
– Simple file cabinet system
– An electronic CAD system

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Engineering Prints

 If prints are distributed to each operation

they must be controlled.
– Operators verify against electronic master list.
– Prints are copied and labeled with a job
number.
– The copy is good only for the job number.

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Documents of External Origin

 These documents must be included in

your document control system. For
example:
– Customer Prints
– Industry Regulations
– ISO Standards
– References used for your
documentation.

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Documents of External Origin
 Control these by having a section on
your master list for documents of
external origin. Include:
– Document Name
– Current Revision
– Document Location(s)
– Document Number (Assigned by your company).

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Copyright ©2008 AS9100 Store

Common Problems with

Document Control
Common Problems
Employees writing documents do not
understand the difference between a
Procedure and a Work Instruction.
Terminology has not been defined,
and is not used in a consistent
manner.
Revisions take too long, documents
are not kept current.

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Common Problems
There is no process for tracking
changes or training on changes
Inconsistent use of other
documents such as:
– forms
– attachments
– drawings
– documents of external origin

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Common Problems

Approval
Distribution
Keeping distribution current

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Common Problems

Too many documents are distributed. The

system cannot be maintained.
Lack of control of documents of External
Origin.

Avoid these problems by

planning ahead…

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And all the pieces will
fall in place.

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