A reader recently asked us, “When generating a new form, procedure, or document, how do I know which number to use? How do I know which numbers are available? Let’s say I create a Receiving form. Can I reuse a number for this?
Two Methods
Option 1: For those using Web QMS as your list of document numbers
Your list of documents on Web QMS can be used like a register. All of your current procedures, forms, and documents are listed there. Anything not listed there is basically nonexistent.
Here, you would not need to create a document register. If you want to know what is available for Quality, for example, just sort the list by Document Number. If the last number listed is, say, 1013, the next available number is 1014.
We always steer clear of creating a register and assigning numbers, because it is just one more thing to keep up with, and one more thing that can create issues.
We also steer clear of assigning numbers ahead of time. For example, if you were to give someone a number for their proposed form, but they do not approve their form for six months, and somebody else comes asking for a new form number, you must give them the next number and so on. As you can see, this creates gaps in the numbering scheme.
Reusing numbers is another tricky issue. In the reader’s case of the Receiving form, if a form and all its references have been removed, it is possible to reuse a number, but it is not our preference because the possibility of issues appearing later is great. Yes, you may see a gap in the numbers, but so be it. That is our philosophy.
Option 2: Creating a document register
If you decide to create a document register, ensure to keep the points we have made above in mind, such as updating the register at all times, writing good comments when assigning numbers, etc. Creating a register may seem like an easy fix, but it is, in fact, one of the leading Document Control issues we see.
This article was published by Quality Digest on 06/04/2014.
