Many document management systems provide the functionality necessary to control and protect documentation while that documentation is located within the system. This type of functionality is likely to include the following:
- Web-based Collaboration
- Version Controls
- Audit Trails
- Reporting and Analytics
Controlling Documentation Outside of the System
There are many document management systems that manage and effectively control a company’s documentation within the system but what about managing documentation between systems or outside of the system itself? Today the business world relies on digital connections and document management systems can’t afford to be “digital islands.”
ERP Systems
Take for example any company that utilizes an ERP (Enterprise Resource Management) system. For this company the ERP is probably the central hub for initiating work orders and entering BOM (Bill of Materials) data. For work orders however sometimes sensitive documentation needs to be accessed such as batch record “recipes” or other documentation that is best controlled within a document management system. These systems need to be integrated for best results. When a company utilizes their ERP system they shouldn’t have to print sensitive information from the DMS and re-enter that information in the ERP. A DMS provider should provide an API or other tool that allows the two systems to integrate.
PDM Systems
PDM (Product Data Management) systems are often utilized by product managers and engineers. Some document management systems are capable of handling the file types (e.g, CAD files) produced by managers and engineers in the PDM environment but managers and engineers don’t have the time or desire to learn the “ins and outs” of a DMS system. Therefore it is of extreme value if a DMS developer can provide a connector of sorts that integrates the two systems and allows product managers and engineers to redline their drawings and have those drawings automatically updated to the DMS when the drawings have been saved. The DMS system should also be able to automatically create secured copies of CAD files for official purposes often required by regulation such as document routing, approval and production and should keep those copies in sync and inline with native files in the PDM system at all times.
Hard Copies
When it is necessary to create paper-based hard copies for the manufacturing floor or for additional purposes how can document management systems provide the sensitive protection that is still required? What happens for example when a version of an SOP is released onto a manufacturing floor and becomes outdated? How will employees know they are utilizing an incorrect version? How can manufacturers ensure that the most recent copy of an SOP is always the copy available to employees? This is a serious quality issue for many manufacturing companies and for any company that prints documents that are subject to continual change. These companies need to ensure that their document management systems can provide “copy control” or in other words watermarked data stamps that make it clear when a hard copy is out of date and another document should be used.
Training
Controlling all types of documentation inside and outside a document management system requires training. Training management processes can be simplified in great measure with out-of-the-box training management capabilities that can be integrated into a company’s document management system. These training capabilities should include the automated release of a training course or a series of training units when a major document revision has been approved and requires training. The solution should also provide automated follow-ups and escalations as well as automated exam deliveries and automated grading. The solution should also provide a variety of training analytics and reporting features.
Marci Crane is the Lifeline Publications Editor at MasterControl, Inc. in Salt Lake City, UT. For more information regarding document management systems that control documentation outside the centralized system and integrate with PDM applications, please feel free to contact a MasterControl representative. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/software-articles/managing-documentation-inside-and-outside-of-document-management-systems-1650262.html