I've been delving into my company's documentation for an upcoming BRC audit, and it seems like we have an unnecesary amount of SOPs and SSOPs, but are also missing some important procedures. We're a start-up granola company, and it seems like the attitude was to write up an SOP, SSOP, and One Point Lesson, which appears to be simple work instructions for everything they could think of.
My initial thought is we probably have too many documents and could cut some of that down to make procedures more manageable and effective. Right now I'm updating and revising the Qulaity Manual as a starting point. I thought that maybe I could judge what SOPs and SSOPs were needed after the Quality Manual was updated.
What would be an effective way to streamline the documentation? How do you keep documentation from getting out of control in your company while covering all the necessary requirements for third party audits?
--Kat
The baseline for assessing the need of a document is the applicable Standard(s). Let's take your case. Suppose BRC is the only standard you follow. List down the mandatory documentation requires by BRC standard. For example, BRC Food Standard identifies following mandatory documentation:
1) Documented supplier approval procedure (Clause 3.6.1)
2) Documented policy/procedures for metal control and handling glass, brittle or hard plastic, ceramic or other similar materials (Clause 4.8.3 & 4)
3) Documented policies and procedures for handling raw materials, intermediate and finished products to prevent cross contamination related to materials containing allergens (Clause 5.2.1.3)
Note that the above list is not exhaustive. Also do not confuse with the words like "procedure" and "documented procedure" to guess them mandatory multiple pages or heavy duty traditional procedures. A procedure is simply a standard way or practice not necessarily be documented and a documented procedure could be a documented SOP, a documented work instructions or simply a poster for display. So you should read the applicable standard(s) to list down the mandatory documentation as required and then modify your documentation system accordingly.
Next step is to assess those documents which are not identified as mandatory by the standard but seems important to be made and implemented. For example an SOP for carrying out a particular process or set of processes. In this case, as other members suggest, you should assess the importance of that particular process or set of processes. If your assessment reveals that deviation from the standard practice could result significant losses, then you should retain the relavent document otherwise there would be no need to keep that "non-sense" a part of your system. Some people consider, personnel competency level while deciding the need of documentation. IMO, it should not because IMO process standards should be person-independent. You do not know when a highly competent person leave your organization and you have to occupy an average competency person at that location. At that time, if you would have a standard document at that location, you simply have to train and raise the competency of that new person according to standard documented practice.
Regards:
M.Zeeshan