Q. Where can Document Control be used other than Quality Management?
QMSrs Document Control can be used whenever documents need to be managed and their legitimacy and accuracy checked prior to distribution.
Q. What is the expected response time for view of documents?
QMSrs ensures a quick retrieval time since it uses standard application. The main factors affecting the time is the speed of your Internet connection and the software application in which the document was created.
Q. Can QMSrs provide access to documents? Can these documents be accessed internationally?
Any user who is identified as QMSrs solution user with Internet access will be able to use QMSrs wherever they are located and at any time.
Q. Can the sub-contract partners have access to controlled documents?
Yes, As long as the sub-contract partners are identified users and have access to the Internet, they may view the controlled documents to which they have been granted access.
Document Access and Security
Q. Can we add security to sensitive material to prevent users viewing it?
Yes. All content is placed in folders. Individual users or user groups are given access to these folders. A user who is not included on a folder read access list will not be able to view its constituent documents.
Q. Are there different access levels for documents?
Yes, there are three different access levels for documents. The first area is the document authors, identified at the original import stage or given write access once document is held within QMSrs. The authors can then check the document out, modify it and then check-it back in. The second are the approvers who can review a document to approve or reject it. The third are the normal users who have read-only access to documents.
Q. What is the audit trail for a recorded document?
A record is automatically made for each activity involving a document. All the document attributes, such as the author, the approval actions, the version details, are recorded as well as when and by whom a document had been checked out and then checked back in.
Q. Is there a way to change a document outside Document Control?
It is impossible to change any document without following the correct procedures, this is guaranteed by access to any document through QMSrs. All documents are stored securely and can only be amended by users who have write access to the document.
Q. How can we secure the old copies of documentation?
By Archiving the old documents to a special archives profile where they are kept securely for as long as required.
Q. Is there a specific number of needed approvals for a document?
No. QMSrs identifies one document owner, who is effectively the originator of the document, but will recognise and accept many document authors and document approvers.
Messaging
Q. Can Document Control communicate changes?
Any communication of changes within QMSrs such as the posting of a document need approval, or the issue of a document update, is displayed in a communication node.
Ease of Use
Q. What about the ease of use? Is there a need to change working methods?
QMSrs has been designed to make the system as easy as possible for all users. The use of folders means that users do not have cluttered screens; they only see the documents they have been given access to. This also applies to user roles such as System Administrator, Approver, Trainer, etc…where their tools will only appear on their respective QMSrs screens if they have been assigned that role.
Q. Is there a need to update or re-write our existing procedures and other documents?
No need, QMSrs uses standard applications such as MS Word, Excel, Visio, and many others to create, edit and view documents. You can import the existing documentation without any need for re-typing or formatting. Imported documents are effectively copied over to our server where they are held securely.
Q. Does the system cope with staff changing jobs or leaving?
Yes, this is covered by the provision of multi authorization access levels to different groups to reflect a change in responsibility. Staff that have left are deleted from the list of available users and subsequently their name will automatically be deleted from each group.
Q. Does QMSrs support third party applications?
Sure, QMSrs works with any application that can be accessed through a Web Browser. These include all Microsoft Office applications such as: HTML, PDF, .jpg, .tiff, .gif and others.
Document Access and Security
Q. Can we add security to sensitive material to prevent users viewing it?
Yes. All content is placed in folders. Individual users or user groups are given access to these folders. A user who is not included on a folder read access list will not be able to view its constituent documents.
Q. Are there different access levels for documents?
Yes, there are three different access levels for documents. The first area is the document authors, identified at the original import stage or given write access once document is held within QMSrs. The authors can then check the document out, modify it and then check-it back in. The second are the approvers who can review a document to approve or reject it. The third are the normal users who have read-only access to documents.
Q. What is the audit trail for a recorded document?
A record is automatically made for each activity involving a document. All the document attributes, such as the author, the approval actions, the version details, are recorded as well as when and by whom a document had been checked out and then checked back in.
Q. Is there a way to change a document outside Document Control?
It is impossible to change any document without following the correct procedures, this is guaranteed by access to any document through QMSrs. All documents are stored securely and can only be amended by users who have write access to the document.
Q. How can we secure the old copies of documentation?
By Archiving the old documents to a special archives profile where they are kept securely for as long as required.
Q. Is there a specific number of needed approvals for a document?
No. QMSrs identifies one document owner, who is effectively the originator of the document, but will recognise and accept many document authors and document approvers.
Q. What are the features that allows me to speed up the process of building checklist?
By accessing prior audit checklists and these can be re-used for different audits as often as you wish. Another thing is that you can pick and choose which questions you want to re-use from a prior checklist and also add new questions to the checklist then you will have a completely new checklist in a matter of minutes.
Q. Is the checklist of Questions printable? Can I enter the findings on the same checklist?
Yes. There is a facility for printing out a checklist and to enter the findings and notes on the printed checklist on the provided space.
Q. Can the audit results be changed?
No way, the full and complete history audit trails cannot be changed as well as other QMSrs functions.
Q. Is there a need to have a checklist of questions set up before running an audit?
Yes, you must have a checklist at least with one question.
Q. Can I conduct audit on the suppliers?
As of all QMSrs other functionalities, external activity can be run as effectively as internal ones. The auditor will simply need Internet access to perform the audit at the supplier’s location or print out the checklist prior to visiting the supplier.
Q. How can I memorise the procedure through the audit?
You can display the document while the audit is being run; you need to identify a document related to the audit at the start of the audit.
Q. How can I be sure that a complaint is recorded and not forgotten?
By listing each complaint on the relevant persons’ "Action Required" list where it stays there until the person(s) required to perform the action have completed their tasks. This is supported by notifications within QMSrs and by emails to the concerned individuals.
Q. Can I categorise a customer complaint?
Yes, you can. As a complaint is registered, it is categorised based on the root cause.
Q. Can I automatically send an email?
Yes. Email templates can be pre-specified for each stage of a complaint life. So when a certain stage has been reached, email templates for that stage are displayed and when selected can be modified and sent to the complainant registered email address.
Q. Can key documents relating to a process or to a customer be attached to a complaint?
Yes. Once the complaint has been recorded, a key document regarding the complaint or the customer can be selected. You can send email with attachments to management by selecting "Send Email" from the main complaint main page, so when the complaint is going through its various stages the relevant document is included in the complaint details and accessible by the concerned individuals when responding to specific requests.
Q. How can I be sure that the right people are informed at the right stages in resolving a complaint issue?
When a complaint goes through its various stages whether it is an Investigation, a Non-Conformance or a Corrective Action relevant people can be informed of the complaint. May be required to reply and can access the interactive dialogue occurring in resolving the complaint.
Q. How Can a Complaint be raised to senior management?
You can inform the senior management of each complaint, if that is the way you run your business, you can also send an escalation notification if the complaint has not been resolved within a specific time period.