What Are Controlled or Managed Documents?

Controlled documents are those essential files that pertain to the effective running of an organisation. They have a defined lifecycle from drafting, review, approval and publishing to updates and
disposal. Controlled documents must have identifiable versions and it should be clear which is the current one.

Controlled documents include:

Policies
Procedures
Templates
Process flows
Technical drawings
Specifications & data sheets
Plans
Manuals

THE VALUE OF DOCUMENT CONTROL

For most of us, the benefits of having current, easily located documents defining our operations are obvious.

For organisations where accuracy and adherence to protocol are paramount such as engineering, medical, construction or manufacturing, or those pursuing or maintaining ISO Quality compliance, controlled documents are an essential component of the Quality Management System (QMS).

It’s crucial to have systems and processes in place to ensure that the documents used by your organisation are accurate.

In an Adobe Acrobat survey, 47% said the online filing systems they work with are filled with outdated or irrelevant files, making it hard to find accurate and up-to-date documents.

Business.com

SHAREPOINT AS A CONTROLLED DOCUMENT SOLUTION

SharePoint's powerful document management features enable you to store, organise and control access to essential documents.

With version control, review and approval workflows, and access permissions, you can ensure that your documentation is accurate, current, and accessible to authorised users from any location or device.

Once published, SharePoint intranets are ideal for communicating and sharing your processes, policies, and procedures in an engaging and targeted manner.

With site pages, document libraries, and metadata tagging, employees can easily locate and follow the information needed to do their jobs effectively.

And you’re probably already paying for it.

WEBINAR:

ISO COMPLIANCE MADE EASIER WITH SHAREPOINT & M365

In this 30 minute webinar, we present five ways to leverage your existing Microsoft 365 and SharePoint environments to meet ISO requirements plus improve productivity and better service your clients.

HOW CAN WE HELP

WebVine are SharePoint Document Management experts.

Our experienced and friendly team can build a document management solution for your business, leveraging SharePoint Online and other Microsoft 365 tools, including the Power Platform.

We will work with your stakeholders to clarify business needs and configure SharePoint to deliver an effective, sustainable controlled document solution to inform your employees and improve
compliance.

We can also assist you to migrate your current controlled documents to SharePoint Online and train your staff on the new system.

Need help with Controlled Documents?

OUT OF CONTROL DOCUMENTS

Effective document and record management is crucial for business productivity. Statistics reveal that document-related challenges account for over 21% of productivity loss. Unfortunately, not every organisation has the right processes and systems in place to support managed documents or help employees find and refer to them.

Here are 6 problems that often arise from poor document control:

1. Operational Inefficiency:

When employees cannot find the documents they need, or refer to incorrect versions, inefficiencies arise.

2. Security Compromises:

Improper permissions control exposes managed documents to unauthorised changes or sharing.

3. Compliance Risks:

Noncompliance with regulations, like Sarbanes-Oxley, can result from poor records management, leading to legal consequences. Storing records with a trusted provider ensures compliance and security.

4. Document Retrieval Issues:

Professionals spend nearly 5 hours weekly searching for documents, often due to poor records management.

5. Risk of Losing Records:

Over 7.5% of documents are lost, and 3% are misfiled. A well-designed records management system controls access and ensures secure backups to prevent loss.

6. Poor Decision-Making:

Inefficient systems hinder access to critical records, leading to poor decisions. Reliable management ensures transparency and informed decision-making.