Documents

Use the Documents module to maintain a controlled register of documents that people need to find, review, and keep current. It is suited to policies, procedures, manuals, standards, forms, work instructions, and similar controlled content.

The module helps teams keep document ownership, review dates, status, and access in one place so documents do not become outdated or hard to trace.

What you can record

Each document record can include:

• a Title
• a Doc Type
• a Reference No.
• an Owner
• an optional Scope
• optional Relating to context
• a Next Revision Date
• optional Tags
• an optional External Link
• a required Purpose
• attachments
• ongoing notes in Comments

In the current configuration, the required fields are:

• Title
• Doc Type
• Reference No.
• Owner
• Next Revision Date
• Purpose

Depending on how your site uses hierarchy fields, one or more organisational selections may also be required before the record can be completed.

Document workflow

The configured workflow uses these statuses:

• Draft: the document record is being prepared
• Active: the current approved or in-use document
• Pending Review: the document has reached its review point and needs attention
• Archived: the document is no longer active

The standard progression is:

1. Create the document in Draft.
2. Complete the required fields and use Submit to move it to Active.
3. When the Next Revision Date passes, the record can move automatically to Pending Review.
4. After review, use Mark as Active to return the document to Active.
5. Use Archive when the document should no longer be active.
6. If needed later, use Unarchive to return the record to Active.

Archived is configured as an archived workflow step, so archived documents may be treated more like inactive records in normal active views while still remaining available for reference.

Creating a document

To create a new document:

1. Open the Documents module.
2. Create a new record.
3. Enter the document Title, Doc Type, and Reference No..
4. Select the Owner responsible for maintaining the document.
5. Set the Next Revision Date.
6. Describe the document's purpose in Purpose.
7. Optionally add Scope, Relating to, Tags, an External Link, or attachments.
8. Use Submit when the document is ready to become active.

If your document already lives outside the platform, you can use External Link as an alternative to uploading the file itself.

Key fields

Ownership and review

• Owner: the person responsible for maintaining and reviewing the document
• Next Revision Date: the next date the document should be reviewed
• Comments: a running history-style field for review notes and updates

Next Revision Date defaults forward from today in this configuration, which supports setting a future review date when a new record is created.

Document details

• Title: the main document name shown in lists, reminders, and search
• Doc Type: the document category
• Reference No.: the document's internal reference or controlled identifier
• Purpose: the summary or reason the document exists
• Relating to: optional free-text context for what the document applies to

The configured Doc Type list supports a broad set of categories, including examples such as Policies, Legislation, Guidelines, Forms, Manual, Company Procedure, Standards, Work Instruction, Safe Operating Procedure, and Safe Work Method Statement.

Scope, filing, and access

• Scope: an optional classification such as Project, National, Industry, Company, State, or Site
• Tags: optional labels used to group or find related documents
• External Link: a URL to the source document or related external resource
• attachments: uploaded files stored against the document record

Tags are configured to allow new values, so teams can extend the tag list as needed rather than being limited to the initial options.

Reviewing and maintaining documents

Once a document has been created, you can use the module to:

• update the Owner if responsibility changes
• revise the Purpose or other descriptive fields as the document evolves
• replace attachments or update the External Link
• adjust the Next Revision Date after a review
• add review notes and context in Comments
• archive documents that are no longer current

When a document moves to Pending Review, the practical next step is usually to review the content, confirm whether it is still current, and then either set a new Next Revision Date and return it to Active, or archive it if it should no longer be used.

Notifications and reminders

The current configuration includes reminder and notification support for document reviews, including:

• a reminder to the Owner one week before the review date
• a notification to the Owner when the review is due
• a summary notification that groups pending-review documents by owner

This is intended to keep controlled documents from sitting past their review date without follow-up.

Versions and history

The configuration also supports document version tracking, so updated versions can be created without losing historical context. In this snapshot, reading record versions is available more broadly than creating a new version, and creating a new version is restricted to admins.

This helps organisations maintain a record of document change over time rather than overwriting the history of a controlled document.

Lists and tracking

The configured record list surfaces key document information such as:

• workflow status
• Next Revision Date
• Title
• Owner
• Doc Type
• Reference No.
• record version
• document number
• attachments

This makes it easier to scan what is active, what is due for review, who owns each document, and which records still need attention.

Tips for better document control

• Use clear, recognisable Title values so people can find the right document quickly.
• Keep Reference No. values consistent with your existing document-control naming standard.
• Make sure Owner reflects the person who will actually review and maintain the document.
• Use Purpose to explain what the document is for, not just restate the title.
• Set realistic Next Revision Date values so review reminders remain meaningful.
• Use Tags and Scope consistently if your team relies on them for filtering or reporting.
• Use External Link when the source document is managed elsewhere, and attachments when you want the file stored with the record.