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Control of worksheets

Discussion in 'ISO 9001:2015 - Quality Management Systems' started by Qbot123, Jan 29, 2021.

  1. Qbot123

    Qbot123 Member

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    We have worksheet templates that can either be printed and filled out by hand or can be uploaded to our electronic system and filled in electronically. The electronic system allows the worksheets to be reviewed and signed off and has audit trails so we don't need the signature box at the bottom.

    We look our word documents so they can't be edited, but i have been asked if we can unlock the signature box so it can be deleted completely for the electronic system, and left in place for the paper versions.

    The only thing I was thinking may cause a problem is that this signature box could then potentially be removed for the paper versions before they get printed out.

    Would this cause an issue from a document control perspective? I don;t know if i'm over thinking this.
     
    Qbot123, Jan 29, 2021
    #1
  2. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    As far as documents go, I'm not a huge fan of signatures. What are we trying to demonstrate which would require a signature? IMHO it's a somewhat old fashioned concept. We're not writing checks. What's being approved? The content recorded on the worksheet? What's being assured by the presence of a sign off?
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2021
    Andy Nichols, Jan 29, 2021
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    xrat86 likes this.
  3. tony s

    tony s Well-Known Member

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    If your document control procedure requires presence of signatures to all documents (printed and electronic versions), then the answer is YES. The standard requires organizations to "ensure appropriate review and approval for suitability and adequacy". But did not specifically require signatures. My copy of the standard doesn't even have a signature on it. Is my copy suitable? adequate? I bought it from my country's standards' agency. So, definitely YES.

    Don't be limited by just using signatures. As long as you can provide the right versions of the right document to the right people, there should be no issue on document control.
     
    tony s, Jan 30, 2021
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    Dennis Scherrer likes this.