Document control is not file storage. It must answer four questions unambiguously: which revision is current, to whom it was issued, what the recipient is expected to do and where the final record is held.
Rules to establish before the first issue
- A consistent coding and naming structure.
- A controlled list of document types, statuses and purposes of issue.
- Authority for preparation, review, approval and registration.
- The folder structure, master register and backup rule.
Formal transmission
- A transmittal listing the documents and their revisions.
- An unambiguous purpose: for information, review, approval or construction.
- The response deadline and expected recipient action.
- Registration of the return, comments and subsequent revision.
Current-revision control
- Register the new revision.
- Verify authority and issue completeness.
- Transmit it to the defined recipient group.
- Update the status of the previous revision.
- Confirm use of the current revision in the work area.
Archive readiness
When issue history and statuses are controlled from the start of the project, the final archive becomes a natural continuation of the process. Without this discipline, the team must reconstruct the origin of files immediately before handover.
Ready-to-use packages for this task
Ready to implement the process?R02-DCC — Project document control
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