Document control in SQF
Hello everyone, I recently started my job into a company that wants to get SQF certified. I have got my online Practitioner training now and ready to start the implementation process. I have a big confusion regarding the document control process. Does SQF require all the policies, procedures, sops to be signed by the practitioner or authorized management? I would really appreciate if anyone could share me a template of their document or share ideas on how things can be done in a proper way. Thank you. Regards, Sam
Yes.
All of our documents are signed by the president of the company and the SQF Practitioner. For us, this is visible on the last page of every document with an approval box and an area for each person to print their name, sign their name and date the document.
Yes.
All of our documents are signed by the president of the company and the SQF Practitioner. For us, this is visible on the last page of every document with an approval box and an area for each person to print their name, sign their name and date the document.
Do you re-sign the documents every time you make a change/ revision?
The ONLY documents here that are actually signed annually are the policies (crisis management, food defense, management commitment etc) So section 2 of SQF
Everything else has a typed approval section for recording revision name/number/date and who changed it and who approved it
If you search on google, or even in Word, you will find lots of templates-------pick the one you like
Also, a little research re: actual document control will help you considerably
Do you re-sign the documents every time you make a change/ revision?
Yes and the change is documented.
AC2018------------that will become unsustainable moving forward, unless you've got an electronic system that only requires a button click
you should have a log of changes, but it could be a master that is used for all documents or attached to each individually
I've been at current post for 7 months-----there are some documents i have revised 6 times already
The excel spreadsheet I made (from something I saw on one of the Friday shows here) has every document I have created and the changes to the revisions when need be.
I have each document signed off by the Plant Manager/Owner and myself. I have it as a second sheet in Excel or a second page in Word and on that sheet/page I also have a revision update and changes column that I update when need be. Each document also has the Revision, Revision Date, and SQF Practitioner Approval in the footers. When we both sign the document it goes into effect and the register of documents will be updated accordingly. I save the signed copy into a PDF and file it in our Quality Folder and I also keep a hard copy available in an SOP or Forms binder.
Register of Documents example.xlsx 76.85KB 111 downloads
The excel spreadsheet I made (from something I saw on one of the Friday shows here) has every document I have created and the changes to the revisions when need be.
I have each document signed off by the Plant Manager/Owner and myself. I have it as a second sheet in Excel or a second page in Word and on that sheet/page I also have a revision update and changes column that I update when need be. Each document also has the Revision, Revision Date, and SQF Practitioner Approval in the footers. When we both sign the document it goes into effect and the register of documents will be updated accordingly. I save the signed copy into a PDF and file it in our Quality Folder and I also keep a hard copy available in an SOP or Forms binder.
I guess, I am in the right track. I have created a similar system of document register and I am going to use electronic signatures in the bottom of every document as footers.
The ONLY documents here that are actually signed annually are the policies (crisis management, food defense, management commitment etc) So section 2 of SQF
Everything else has a typed approval section for recording revision name/number/date and who changed it and who approved it
If you search on google, or even in Word, you will find lots of templates-------pick the one you like
Also, a little research re: actual document control will help you considerably
Thank you Scampi.
It makes life easier that only section two requires actual signatures.
I am planning to use a footer with approved by section and electronic signatures in the rest of the documents. I will also use document change register for further evidence about change, approval and distribution.
Thank you Scampi.
It makes life easier that only section two requires actual signatures.
I am planning to use a footer with approved by section and electronic signatures in the rest of the documents. I will also use document change register for further evidence about change, approval and distribution.
Hi samjhand,
You should be aware that it is typically a near-irresistible temptation to design an inordinately elegant Documentation Procedure such as are often exampled on IT (eg NASA 9001) only to soon discover that their up-to-date maintenance is logistically exhausting/impossible unless you are fortunate enough to possess a coveted "Documentation Team".
IMEX implementation is invariably a 1-Person show unless you are a cog in a large Corporate wheel.
I would strive to generate the simplest assortment of document header/footer boxes which is audit-sufficient.
I will echo Charles.C, simple but thorough. On policies and procedure our footers state: Document reference (name), revision date, owned by, authorized by, file location and page # of #. At the end of the last page is a table that serves as the revision record. It includes: Revision number, date of the most current revision, description of the changes, person that made the changes and initials of the person responsible for approving the document / revision. These are all kept on a virtual server that is backed up every night. The spreadsheet we use as a document register that lists in columns: Applicable department, document name, original issue date, revision / validation date and location on the server. This is all included in our Document Control SOP including how the "signatures" are originated and used within each document.