| It is completely understandable that document | | | | should have experience in the analysis and align the |
| control can be the last thought on the minds of you | | | | software with your company mission and goals. |
| and your workers. ERP's, CRM's, and accounting | | | | 6.) When choosing a document control software |
| software all seem to take precedence when comes | | | | package make sure that the automation of the |
| to making you business run. Yet, the use of one | | | | workflow is easy to understand, configure, and is |
| wrong specification, work from an outdated set of | | | | better than what is currently being done. The |
| instructions, and following a non-current policy can | | | | software should quicken the time for reviews and |
| cascade into a torrent rush of waste and expense. | | | | approvals of policies, procedures, etc. that normally |
| That fllod of errors means an increased cost to your | | | | languish in a manual or emailed workflow. The user |
| bottom line. What once seemed boring becomes | | | | interface should be easy for your managers to go in |
| super important around audit time. Don't take the | | | | and conduct the actions required of them in as few |
| threat of an ISO or FDA audit as the catalyst for | | | | steps as possible. |
| your document management/control system. A | | | | 7.) The document control software chosen should be |
| proactive stance leads to better quality, lowers your | | | | able to work flawlessly with your email to send |
| costs, and has a profound positive impact. | | | | notifications to managers, users, and others when |
| The tips below are from the experiences of clients I | | | | content needs to be reviewed, approved, and read. |
| have worked with. The tips are designed to aid in a | | | | The software should be configurable to notify when |
| search for a document control software solution for | | | | document become current and replace older versions. |
| an organization of any size. | | | | Notifications should also be configurable when to |
| 1.) Software is a choice as a tool to help meet your | | | | remind users when their actions required of them are |
| needs. Many providers have solutions that not only | | | | overdue and escalate the delay up the chain of |
| keep documents, specifications, and procedures | | | | command. |
| controlled, but also help companies meet their | | | | 8.) A strong software solution for any company will |
| regulatory compliance and/or quality organization | | | | allow you to conduct content based training. This |
| standards. Basic features should be checking content | | | | action will help your company ensure that its |
| in/out, revise, review, approve, and archive the | | | | employees have read and fully understood the nature |
| information. | | | | of the content. This function should be as automatic |
| 2.) If your company operates from multiple locations, | | | | as the workflow for the content, so that when |
| you should think long and hard about consolidating the | | | | revisions are made everyone involved can be |
| various procedures, specifications, policies, drawings, | | | | retrained quickly. The functionality should also allow |
| and documents into a single repository that can be | | | | for new employees to train on current content when |
| accessed from anywhere. The software should allow | | | | hired. |
| you to access your documents through your intranet | | | | 9.) Any system chosen to manage a companies set |
| or the internet. | | | | of procedures, policies, specifications, etc. should have |
| 3.) Companies spend an inordinate amount of time | | | | a security model that can be tailored to the roles and |
| and energy trying to keep many locations and/or | | | | teams of individuals working in it. The software |
| departments on the same current sheet. File shares | | | | chosen should align with the security goals and needs |
| and email create duplications that immediately lead to | | | | of the company and easily instituted. |
| wasting your time, effort, and resources. The | | | | 10.) It is important for anyone looking to invest in a |
| software chosen should control how users see and | | | | document control solution to understand and know |
| work from the current versions while automatically | | | | exactly what comes standard and what is extra with |
| archiving older content. It is important that for most | | | | the software. Many of the features mentioned |
| industries and their regulations that the archived | | | | above are sold as modules - extra add-ons to the |
| material can be accessed when called upon, make | | | | software that quickly increases the price of |
| sure the software you choose meets those | | | | investment to any company. The focus of your |
| requirements. | | | | project team when choosing a document control |
| 4.) Don't make the decision to purchase software in | | | | system should be: does the software presented |
| a vacuum. Look around your company ans see who | | | | meet and exceed the needs of the company? Is it |
| else will be affected by this decision. Assumptions | | | | easy for the lowest level employee to use? Is the |
| about their needs should not be taken when moving | | | | software quick to implement? Will the company |
| from paper to an electronic document control | | | | quickly realize the return on the investment made? |
| process. Failure to obtain "buy-in" can result into a | | | | Will the software align with the mission and goals of |
| delayed rollout and severe pushback. The document | | | | the company? Does the vendor understand the |
| control software provider selected should have | | | | needs of the company? If the project team finds a |
| experience in managing such a dramatic change and | | | | "no" to any of the above six questions, then it should |
| brought that to your attention during the initial search. | | | | not recommend the purchase of the software |
| 5.) Prior to making a change, analysis should be | | | | package. |
| conducted on the current lifecycle being used by the | | | | You have a lot of options out there to choose from, |
| company. Do you know exactly where the | | | | which means it is a definite need for many people like |
| breakdowns occur? The analysis should help provide | | | | yourself to control your information. Make sure the |
| you with an understanding of where current | | | | system you choose keeps it simple, has the |
| bottlenecks lie, what the costs are to the company, | | | | experience, and is more than just a name you are |
| and help all the stakeholders understand the purpose | | | | buying. If it is difficult to use, your employees who |
| of changing. Education of the parties involved will | | | | are smart and dedicated will quickly find a way |
| allow them to see the larger picture and the valuable | | | | around. The money you spent becomes another cost |
| impact an investment in document control software | | | | without any return to your bottom line. |
| can bring to the company. The software vendor | | | | |