Manufacturing Company Implements Document Control

Project Overview

A precision manufacturing company supplying aerospace and automotive industries needed to digitize their quality management system to maintain ISO 9001 certification and improve operational efficiency.

The Challenge

The company's paper-based QMS created significant issues:

- Audit Risks: Paper documents difficult to track and control

• Version Confusion: Multiple versions of procedures in circulation
• Slow Approvals: Paper routing taking days for signatures
• No Visibility: Management couldn't see document status
• Storage Costs: Physical archive consuming valuable floor space
• Lost Documents: Critical procedures occasionally misplaced

  Our Solution

  SharePoint Support implemented a comprehensive document control system:

  System Architecture

• SharePoint document libraries with controlled structure
• Metadata-driven organization by document type
• Automated version control and numbering
• Secure access controls by role and department

  Workflow Automation

• Document creation requests with routing
• Multi-stage approval workflows
• Automatic notification to reviewers
• Escalation for overdue approvals
• Digital signature integration

  Quality Features

• Document change requests with impact assessment
• Training record tracking
• Controlled copy distribution
• Document review scheduling
• Obsolete document management

  Compliance Controls

• Full audit trail for all changes
• Compliance dashboard for QA team
• Automated review reminders
• Non-conformance tracking integration

  Implementation Approach

  Phase 1: Foundation (4 weeks)

• Document type taxonomy development
• Library structure and metadata design
• Security model configuration
• Base workflows creation

  Phase 2: Content Migration (6 weeks)

• Document inventory and classification
• Legacy document digitization
• Metadata tagging
• Quality review of migrated content

  Phase 3: Process Automation (4 weeks)

• Complex approval workflows
• Change request processes
• Training acknowledgment tracking
• Dashboard development

  Phase 4: Training & Rollout (3 weeks)

• User training by department
• QA team advanced training
• Go-live support
• Post-implementation optimization

  Results Achieved

  The implementation delivered outstanding outcomes:

  - ISO 9001:2015 certified with zero document control findings

• 80% reduction in paper documents across facility
• 50% faster approvals average approval time reduced from 5 days to 2.5 days
• Real-time visibility into document status and compliance metrics
• 100% traceability for all document changes
• $150K annual savings in paper, printing, and storage costs

  Quality Improvements

  Beyond efficiency, quality metrics improved:

  - Eliminated outdated procedure usage

• Reduced non-conformances related to documentation
• Improved first-pass audit success
• Enhanced supplier document management
• Better change management control