How To Improve Your Document Control Process

Managing document control can feel overwhelming—misplaced files, outdated versions, and approval delays are all too common. But a few targeted improvements can make all the difference. By tightening up your process with clear standards, streamlined approvals, and the right tools, you’ll turn document control from a hassle into an efficient, reliable system.

Ready to simplify and improve your document control? Here’s how to get started.

1. Start with a thorough audit of your current process

Before making changes, it’s essential to know where your current document control process stands. Start with a quick audit to identify gaps and bottlenecks that could be holding your team back. Check for common issues like inconsistent naming conventions, scattered document storage, or unclear version histories.

Ask yourself:

• Are documents easy to find, or do they get lost in a maze of folders?
• Is there a reliable way to know if you’re working with the latest version?
• Are approvals and updates moving smoothly between departments?

This simple review will reveal areas to improve and highlight what’s already working. Tracking these insights will help you set priorities and guide the next steps toward a more organised process.

2. Set up clear document standards and policies

Establishing clear standards is the foundation of any effective document control process.

With well-defined guidelines, everyone in the organisation knows how documents should be created, stored, updated, and shared—minimising confusion and reducing errors.

Rules should be set for:

• Naming conventions: A consistent naming system makes documents easier to find and organise. This should include details such as: the document type, date, and version in file names.
• Access and permissions: Specify who can view, edit, or approve each document. Limiting permissions helps protect document integrity and ensures only authorised users make changes.
• Update schedules: For critical documents, set regular review dates to keep content accurate and up to date.

By standardising these elements, your team will have a solid framework for managing documents, and it’ll be much easier to spot and fix any issues that arise.

3. Establish strong version control to avoid document mix-ups

One of the most common pitfalls in document control is working with outdated versions, leading to errors, duplicated efforts, or even compliance issues. Strong version control ensures that everyone on your team is working with the most current and accurate document, helping to avoid costly mix-ups.

Best practises may include:

• Automating your version updates: Utilise a document control software that automatically saves and marks each new version as the latest, archiving older versions to avoid circulating outdated information.
• Highlight changes between documents: Change tracking that highlights edits helps team members quickly spot what’s new, ensuring no one misses important revisions.
• Standardise the review process: Set a routine for document reviews, so each update is checked for accuracy and compliance before it’s finalised.

4. Implement an automation system to speed up the approval process

The document approval process can easily turn into a bottleneck, especially when approvals get lost in inboxes or stalled waiting for sign-off. Automating this step not only accelerates approvals but ensures documents are reviewed and distributed consistently.

How you can streamline approvals with automation:

• Setup automated notifications: Automated alerts can notify team members when a document is ready for review, helping documents move through the approval chain without delays.
• Track approval statuses in real-time: Use a system that lets you view the approval status of each document at a glance, so you know who’s signed off and what’s still pending.
• Reduce manual follow-ups: With automated reminders, you won’t need to chase down approvals—notifications handle the follow-up, keeping the process efficient and on schedule.

An automated approval process ensures every document is reviewed on time, reducing the risk of delays or missed approvals.

5. Create a centralised storage for your documents

When documents are scattered across different locations, physical storage rooms, or siloed systems, accessing the right file can become a time-consuming task. Switching to a centralised digital storage system resolves these issues, giving all team members quick, easy access to the files they need, whenever they need them.

You should:

• Centralise your storage in the cloud: A cloud-based, centralised repository allows all documents to be stored in one accessible location, making it easy for team members to access the latest version from any device or location.
• Use tags / keywords for quick search: Adding tags or keywords to documents makes them easy to locate through search, cutting down the time spent sifting through files.
• Organise by folders or categories: Structuring your documents in clearly labelled folders or categories helps team members navigate directly to what they need.

6. Schedule training sessions to keep document controls consistent

A solid document control process isn’t just about initial setup—it requires ongoing training and regular updates to stay effective. By training your team on document control best practices and continuously refining your process, you can ensure lasting consistency and accuracy.

We suggest you:

• Conduct regular training sessions: Keep team members up to date with training on document handling, version control, and access standards. Make sure everyone understands the importance of these practices and how they impact operations.
• Collect feedback from users: Encourage feedback from those who interact with the document control system daily. Their insights can reveal bottlenecks or improvements you might not see from a management level.
• Set up key metrics for review: Track metrics like document retrieval times, approval delays, and error rates. Regularly reviewing these KPIs helps you spot areas for improvement and adjust your processes to boost efficiency.

Set up a comprehensive document control system with myosh

With the myosh document control module, you can handle every aspect of document management with ease. From automating approvals and updates to maintaining secure, centralised access, the software offers a comprehensive, organised view of your documents.

Streamline your document workflows, ensure compliance with ISO standards, and maintain version control effortlessly—all within a single platform.

Ready to transform your document control process? Start a free trial or book a demo to see myosh in action.