I've been hired to move a company along towards ISO registration as my first summer job as a quality student. I have a question about a certain document that this company uses. It is a small manufacturing company (10 people here in total).
Whenever an order comes in, they use this sheet to tell the production floor what product to build, quantities, drawing of the product, what components should be used, what part number are we calling it, when is it due out, etc. etc. This sheet is also where the test data is recorded when QC testing is done during final inspection.
Also, when an order comes in for a product that we have built before, we just look for the old sheet with that part number and use it to build the new sheet and basically just copy all the contents of the old sheet to the new sheet. We keep all the copies of these sheets.
There are also occasions where we use the same sheet not to send out to the shop floor, but to record the components for products built for certain customers (like a specification sheet) and a drawing.
My question is, does the blank sheet fall under controlled document and the filled in ones are controlled records? OR Because we also use them as product specifications/drawings, all of the filled ones are controlled documents?
Also, do things like invoice forms, quotation forms, cost sheet forms, etc. fall under controlled docs?
Thanks so much!
Motto
As a blank form, a template if you will, it a form and should be controlled as it is used to record data vital to the product, right?
Once it is filled in, it becomes a record and items such as identification, storage location, protections, retrieval, retention time, and disposition of it (i.e., shredded, blue-boxed, purged) are to be indicated.
Think of it like this. not too long ago you did your taxes, right? The paperwork/e-file is the form to be filled in. Once you completed everything, verified your return (or payment to be made), and submitted it, it became a record to the tax people.
As a blank form, a template if you will, it a form and should be controlled as it is used to record data vital to the product, right?
Once it is filled in, it becomes a record and items such as identification, storage location, protections, retrieval, retention time, and disposition of it (i.e., shredded, blue-boxed, purged) are to be indicated.
Think of it like this. not too long ago you did your taxes, right? The paperwork/e-file is the form to be filled in. Once you completed everything, verified your return (or payment to be made), and submitted it, it became a record to the tax people.
In addition, there is no rule against using a record for reference, the primary criterion is the original record cannot be altered. However, "copies" of a record can be altered to create new documents.
Simple concept to help you keep the difference between document and record straight:
Document is the "plan of activity"
Record is the "proof of activity"
First, welcome to the Cove!!
To try to answer your questions, the first thing I must say is that if the system is working, don't try to fix it. I suspect by the questions you are asking, you are not.
So, to me, the most important thing here is to make sure that the flow of information from the customer order to the shop floor is correct, actually happens, and is timely.
It seems like the last order for a certain part for a certain customer is what is going to control that flow. So, is there some indication on each sheet that the part has been made and sent to the customer? That way the old order will not be mistaken for a new one. Also, is there any way to indicate on the old (last) order when there was a mistake or change made to the spec? Finally, how do you make sure the last, as opposed to the next-to-last, order is used? From a systems standpoint, controlled specifications would be preferrable, but this system could work if controlled properly, IMO.
As far as controlled/noncontrolled document/form, I would control the blanks as forms, to make sure that all or the blanks for the relevant information is there, and as noted above, control the last, and previous to the last, orders.
The other documents would be either controlled as forms (raw) or records (filled out). The rational is simple: How bad would it be to have a customer refer to a quote form that has been lost? Bummer.
Anyhow, I suspect more advice will follow. Good luck, and I hope this helps.