When it comes to compliance, document control is not just best practice—it’s a necessity. Without a digital system, you’ll waste hours pushing paperwork around departments and searching high and low for scattered documents. Visibility will be limited, if not non-existent. Audits will be a headache and non-compliance issues will begin to stack up.

That’s where Document Control software comes in. With a centralized repository and automated workflows, this software transforms the way documents circulate within your organization. You gain increased visibility, traceability, and version control—all crucial components for staying compliant in industries governed by strict regulations.

The downside of manual processes in document control

Regulatory compliance

Keeping your standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, change requests, and other documents in check is essential to meeting regulations like GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), and FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act).

Manual processes can quickly lead to version control issues, accessibility challenges, and problems maintaining a clean audit trail, easily snowballing into non-compliance and severe consequences.

Version control and document tracking

Version control with manual document management is a real headache. Updating paper documents involves physically retrieving old copies and passing around new ones – a time-consuming process that often leads to multiple versions floating around. Identifying the current and approved version becomes a puzzle, and workers might end up using outdated documents, messing up processes.

Accessibility and collaboration limitations

Accessing physical documents creates hurdles for employees in different departments, shifts, or remote setups, slowing down processes and decision-making. Searching for information is another timewaster. Without keyword searches or indexing, retrieving information can take hours, leading to production delays, increased downtime, and serious incidents.

Reviewing or annotating documents is impractical with physical documents, making teamwork difficult. And without collaboration, you miss out on resolving issues collectively.

Paper documents are vulnerable to loss, theft, or damage. Access to sensitive information is difficult to control, and security breaches can compromise confidential data, and intellectual property, and expose the organization to compliance violations and legal issues.

Audit readiness and traceability

Maintaining a clear audit trail for paper documents is tricky. You can’t track changes, approvals, and access history with the same granularity and transparency provided by digital systems. Auditors may struggle to trace specific actions back to individuals.

Handling documents manually risks inconsistencies in labeling and storage – raising doubts about the reliability of the information, and worse still – the organization’s commitment to quality and compliance.

Retrieving specific documents during audits is time-consuming, leading to frustrated auditors. In fact, manual systems are susceptible to missing documents. But without access to all the documents required for a comprehensive assessment auditors can issue non-compliance findings leading to penalties.

The digital advantage of EHSQ software

Physical mountain of paperwork aside, manual document control can leave you with an uphill struggle when it comes to compliance. But going digital can help you turn things around. Here’s how:

• Centralized repository: Consolidate all your documents in one accessible location to help your workers easily retrieve documents.
• Standardized document formats: Maintain consistent formats to make documents easier to understand and facilitate smoother communication.
• Version control and revision history: Precisely track document changes over time to ensure that your workers always have access to the latest and most accurate information.
• Automated approval workflows: Automate the approval processes to help your documents move seamlessly through the stages of review and authorization. You’ll minimize delays and reduce human error.
• Access controls and permissions: Make use of security features to set access controls, safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring that users only access documents relevant to their roles.
• Integration with other EHSQ modules and systems: Integrate with other modules and systems, to take a cohesive and interconnected approach to your operations.
• Regular audits and document reviews: Schedule and conduct audits and reviews, and receive automated reminders to ensure that documentation stays up-to-date and remains compliant with regulatory requirements.

Taking the next step with TenForce

No more drowning in paperwork. Transitioning to a digital solution, such as TenForce’s Document Control will bring you increased efficiency, productivity, collaboration, and communication. You can wave goodbye to audit headaches and worries of non-compliance.

Take the next step by booking a demo to witness firsthand how TenForce can transform your document control processes.

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