Documentation is the set of documents that help to define the quality management processes, describe how these processes are easily implement, and maintain. As well as gives the guidelines to provide evidence of conformity, as per ISO 9001 standards requirements.
In ISO 9001, documentation is actually set of records, procedures, policies, and other written information that describe how QMS operations.
There is usually, four levels of documentation, first level is quality manual, right now since 2015 latest version, it became optional. Second level is procedures, third level is SOP/work instruction and last fourth is records and evidence of compliance.
Purpose of Document Distribution
The key objectives of documents distribution are:
- Ensure accuracy and consistency
- Supporting compliance.
- Prevent Errors
- Increasing communication
- Maintain Control
The key purpose of the documentation is to ensure that all the activities are properly carrying per planning of QMS. The documentation also ensures the evidence of conformity for the ISO 9001 standards requirements. The ISO 9001 documentation are also focus on the training of employees, continual improvement for uniformity and process controls.
Document distribution
Preparing and maintain documentation is not enough, it should distribute to all the departments to ensure QMS requirements. All the employees should easily access, all the documents are most important in QMS.
Document distribution is the systematic method where all controlled documents are share to all the authorize personnel, and departments associate employees.
Here as below document distribution list format is available for reference:
The documentation helps to ensure that, all the users have the latest approved copy of document. All the obsoleted document are removed from the system.
After the technology upgradation, method of documents distribution is changed. Now, the companies are distributing their documents in electronic format, either they upload on servers, or personally mailing each one. In some businesses are still distributing their document in hard copies. Actually, it’s all depends on the size of documents, and capabilities of technology.
When we are talking about the document’s distribution, but who will be prepare and distribute these documents. Generally, quality manager is responsible for the document issuing, updates, and control distribution of documents. Department heads are ensuring their teams use the latest documents, and same employees are following these documents as per instructions.