An automated document control system is a critical tool for compliance with quality standards, but that’s not the only way it can help your business.
The right document control system can improve information security, increase transparency, and reduce business continuity risks. Organizations at every stage of the lifecycle can benefit from a document control system.
What is a document control system?
Put simply, a document control system helps your business get organized, store documents efficiently, and share information.
A document control system is used to manage all documents involved in the design, development and manufacture of an organization’s products. This includes organizing, routing, tracking, authorizing, storing, and distributing all digital documents (including scanned paper ones).
Beyond simply making the system more ordered, a document control system supports the management of files in compliance with regulations and quality standards such as ISO and FDA. It’s also key to the process of tracking complaints and corrective and preventive action (CAPA).
When people talk about document control systems, they’re usually referring to document control software that lets an organization store and share all documents online in a central cloud-based repository.
Quality managers commonly say, “If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen.” That’s because when a document control system is in place, no process is started, completed, revised, repeated or replaced without being thoroughly documented.
Why document control is vital for regulated businesses
A document control system is a must for businesses in highly regulated industries. It’s a critical tool that gives your business access to all the records and documents needed to prove compliance.
In many industries, such as drug manufacturing, medical device manufacturing and life sciences companies, regulatory bodies focus on good manufacturing practices, such as document control.
If your business receives a warning letter about violation of best practices, providing audit-ready documentation is key to proving effective documentation and corrective actions. This is considerably harder to do with a manual, paper-based method compared to an automated document control solution.
Benefits of a digital document control system for all businesses
A digital document control system offers many benefits for businesses of all types and sizes.
Provides stronger access control
Security breaches, information leakage and data exposure are a serious risk to a business and its reputation. A document control system allows you to tightly control access to specific files. Only people with permission can view, edit and delete documents. A locked filing cabinet no longer does the job.
Facilitates efficiency and transparency
Alongside identity and access management, a document control system supports simplified access and transparency. Authorized parties no longer waste time searching for the right documents to complete a task. Documents are organized, easily searchable and up-to-date. This leads to transparent control of information and increased productivity.
Improves compliance
As stated earlier, an electronic document control system simplifies the process of compliance with regulatory requirements for document management. Poor document control systems are common causes of warning letters from regulatory agencies.
Digital documents improve sustainability
Go paperless and say goodbye to piles of dusty documents and over-stuffed filing cabinets. This saves the cost of purchasing paper, as well as printing, storing, shredding and disposing of it. It also contributes to your sustainability efforts.
Supports remote working and global collaboration
A cloud-based document control system supports remote work and collaboration. Staff don’t need to be physically present. They can access your documents anytime, anywhere.
Cloud-based document control software enables real-time global collaboration between a distributed workforce with access to desktop computers and mobile devices. Sending faxes and documents by mail is a thing of the past.
Prevents loss and disasters
It’s easy for paper documents to be lost or destroyed in a fire or flood. A cloud-based document control system provides secure digital copies of your files in a central off-site repository.
An organization can quickly recover from a threat to data security. It also prevents the loss of institutional knowledge when key workers leave and retire.
Enhances business-wide streamlining
A cloud-based, centralized document control system simplifies and streamlines workflows at every level of an organization. The ability to access and edit documents easily and quickly supports organization agility, a quality-driven culture and competitive advantage.
Features to look for in a document control system
Each document control system is different and some are tailored to specific industries. However, there are some features every document control system should have.
Easy search function: the system must enable searches by name or category for quick retrieval.
Support files in multiple formats: it must be able to handle all common file formats, such as PDFs, Word documents and Excel spreadsheets.
Controlled access: the system must allow you to set access control permissions for single or group users, which, by definition, restricts access to others.
Version control and check-out: the system must allow you to track changes, see when a document was last modified and restrict check-out so that people can’t make changes at the same time. This prevents multiple versions of the same file being created.
Backup and recovery: the document control system must be cloud-based, so that if a computer crashes all documents are stored securely in the cloud. Any files that are accidentally deleted or saved over can be restored.
Supporting document attachment: the ability of the system to bring all your compliance tasks and documents together in one place and attach relevant documents will drastically increase productivity.
isoTracker’s modular document control software
Our document control software provides access to a single, consistent document repository – anywhere, any time.
It has automated document approval workflows, task notification and document archiving. It also provides the security of daily backups, encryption, fine-grained access control and full document activity history.
The module can stand alone or integrate with isoTracker’s other quality management software. Sign up for a free 60-day trial or contact us to discuss how a document control system can help your business.
