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Contents
Issue Technical Documents (for Approval) The process of accepting or approving documents may have significant contractual ramifications. The process may have to be completed by a certain date after which delays to the project may occur. Therefore it is essential that each party retains their own information regarding: - when documents were issued,
- why documents were issued (for approval or comment or ...),
- when documents were returned, or received back,
- the status of the documents on their return.
The process may involve review, comment, and approval by more than one organisation, and often these organisations may not be in contract with the party from whom the documents were received. For example members of the Design Team and a Specialist Subcontractor communicating through the Main Contractor. Return to Contents
Communications Technical Documents are moved under cover of a transmittal note. This may be accomplished either - Using a transmittal form printed on paper, and:
- Attaching printed copies of the technical documents,
- Putting the documents in electronic form onto a CD or DVD.
- Emailing the transmittal and transmitted documents, and:
- Attaching a zip file of the documents in electronic form,
- Sending the zip file by FTP to a third party server for download by HTTP.
- Attaching an EDI file allowing the information to be imported into a software system. Note that no standard for the interchange of such information exists.
- Attaching HTML forms for response actions,
When the transmittal is assembled, the generation of other documents need to be considered: - If acknowledgement of receipt is required, then an Acknowledgement Note should be generated.
- If the transmittal is emailed, then an HTML form for accomplishing this is attached.
- If return of the documents is required (e.g. when issued for approval), then a Comment Sheet should be generated.
- If the transmittal is emailed, then an HTML form for accomplishing this is attached.
- On occasion it may be required to generate an additional form for certain purposes, viz:
- Sequential Sign Off of Prints within a Drawing Office,
- An instruction associated with the issue of drawings etc,
- A from for each document to allow "Adds and Omits" to be calculated.
People who have to return documents have a number of options when distribution is by email, including: - Printing out the acknowledgement note or comment sheet, and completing it, and returning it on paper, keeping a copy for themselves.
- As above, but scanning in the document after completion, and emailing it.
- Preferably, by using the HTML form, which enables them to receive a copy email.
- Using the EDI file to import into their own software system [e.g. TDOC], and using that to make their answer.
- Marking up the acknowledgement note or comment sheet and returning it by email, which is NOT recommended.
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Coordination of Status and Comment When a technical document is submitted for approval, then it must be returned in a timely manner with a single coordinated status and comment. Coordination is the process of: - Issuing documents out to those organisations and people who are to conduct their review and or make comments,
- Expediting the return of the documents with the various reviewers status and or comments,
- Reviewing these status and comments received and coordinating these into a single status and comment,
- Returning the document with the single status and comment.
If changes are required to the Design Briefs, these should be given a unique reference of up to 5 digits. This is called a "DCN" (Design Change Notice), and this reference should be put against all revision descriptions. It may also be recorded in the DCN field for the revision of a technical document. Return to Contents
Supplier Document Requirement Scheduling (SDRS) The SDRS methodology enables the approval situation to be monitored. The process consists of: - Defining who is provide each group of documents,
- The date by which these documents are required to be ready for use, viz the date by which the approval process requires to be complete,
- The key parts of the process through which the documents must pass. A typically minimalist approach might consist of monitoring that:
- Latest revision received for Approval,
- Latest revision returned with a coordinated status of Approved.
The information which each party ought to record [as outlined above Issue Technical Documents (for Approval)] is analysed within the SDRS framework information, following which reports are generated. Return to Contents
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