Document Index, part 2

“With the New Year comes a new opportunity to organize. Start with your Document Pyramid and create a Document Index. Five S your Document Inventory.” Carl

Document Index

In Document Index, part 1, we learned what a Document Index offers.  Defined the Document Index as a method to easily manage all your work documents. This information is part of your Document Pyramid in one easy reference tool.  The value of a Document Index is putting everything at your fingertips for quick and easy access.  However, just creating a list of documents is not the value add it can be.  By adding hyperlinks (direct link to a document at another location), the documents metadata, and some minor file management we can make this a powerful tool. 

5 Easy Steps

Listed in part 2 (this post) and part 3 are the steps you will take to create your own Document Index.  Let us start with the organization of your document inventory.

Step 1: Document Inventory

Think of the Document Index as a tool to maintain the inventory of your documented information in all shapes, sizes, locations, and media types.   Most documents are in electronic form.  However, in today’s technology-oriented business, perhaps rare, but not unheard of, to have hard copies.  The same inventory management practices are for all forms your information may be in.

Look at the Document Index as the directory to all documents. It is not the collection of your document information, rather what and where they are.  Your documented information is most likely not in one place, rather resides in multiple locations, servers, folders, buildings, or even other countries. The Document Index retains your documented information’s location and status.  If the documented information is in electronic formats, then we can also directly link to and open the file as well.  If in hard copy form, the Document Index points to its physical location.

When we know what it is and where it is, we will build the Index.  While not a requirement, it is a good practice to have similar documents organized together. At Quality TLC we use the Document Pyramid for our folders.   We also model, manage, and maintain our system based on ISO 9001 clause 7.5 Documented information, and ISO/TR 10013 Guidelines for Quality Management System Documentation.  At Quality TLC we use the following online file organization:

DocPryamid >> Level-1 > Level-2 > Level-3 > Level-4 (sub folders as needed)

Each folder may include subfolders.  For example, under Level-4 (Objective Evidence) a few subfolders may include:

• Forms

• Records (forms become records once data is entered in them)

• References

OK, there is a good argument to do away with the folder organization.  Some say that folders are an ‘old school’ way of organization and suggest the use of Metadata.  Metadata is added value in our Document Index, and we will use those references. Let us look at this briefly. 

Step 2: Metadata

Wikipedia defines metadata as, “data that provides information about other data". In other words, it is "data about data". Many distinct types of metadata exist, including descriptive, structural, administrative, reference, and statistical metadata.

Since we are talking about documented information, here are a few data references we might include as our document metadata.

• Description references: Title, Subject, Tags, Categories, Comments, Author, Manager, Company

• Date references: Creation, Last Saved, Last Printed, Last Accessed, Archived

• Content references: Status, Type, Language, Last Saved By,

• File references: Size, Availability, Offline Status, Shared With, Program Name, Opens With

There is almost no end to the metadata characteristics of your documents.  Each business will place a higher or lower value on metadata characteristics.  It is not important to capture everything, only those that are needed to manage your documents effectively and efficiently.  Metadata provides another means for filtering or searching for documents.

Begin defining the metadata you want for your documented information.  We will use your results in the next steps.

Work on the first two steps and in our next post we will finish building your Document Index.  In Document Index, part 3, we will go through Step 3: Five S, Step 4: Build Structure, and Step 5: Populate.

Cherished Reader, if you found value in this Document Pyramid series, please provide feedback. While I enjoy accolades, I learn more from your comments, suggestions, questions, and requests. Sign up at www.qualityTLC.com to receive my weekly posts directly to your inbox. Thank you so much for allowing me to consume some of your valuable time on this subject.