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What document control is about
Document control ensures that people always work with the correct, approved version and that evidence remains unchanged and retrievable. ISO 9001 speaks of documented information that is either *maintained* (such as procedures) or *retained* (records such as inspection reports).
The standard does not prescribe a particular system. What matters is that identification, review, approval, distribution, change and retention are defined and evidenced. Background is in our guide to ISO 9001 document control.
Checkpoints
Creating and identifying (7.5.2)
Review and approval
Distribution and availability (7.5.3.1)
Change and versioning (7.5.3.2)
Obsolete documents
Records and retention
Effectiveness in practice
What a digital solution takes care of
QMS software handles many checkpoints almost automatically: versions are created for you, approvals are logged with person and time, obsolete versions are archived and new versions are distributed to the right people. In docxpert this includes approval workflows, version control with comparison and a tamper-evident audit trail.
Download the checklist as PDF
Print-ready with tick boxes – ideal for your next audit or team meeting. Free; we also email you the link.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a quality manual?
No. Since ISO 9001:2015, a quality manual is no longer required. Many companies keep one anyway as an overview of the system.
Is a shared network drive enough?
In principle yes, if approval, versioning, access rights and protection against obsolete versions are reliably controlled. In practice it often fails because of copies and missing approval evidence.
How often should documents be reviewed?
The standard does not set a period. One to three years is common, depending on risk. What matters is that the interval is defined and kept.