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Document control and revision management: always the right version, always audit-ready
From procedures and work instructions to drawings and specifications: one central source of truth, with strict revision control, clear approvals and full traceability for QA, engineering and compliance.
Illustrative example
In short
Document control in M-Files keeps one official version of every procedure, work instruction and drawing. Documents follow a fixed workflow of drafting, review, approval, publication and periodic review; users only see the current approved version, and every change is traceable. SoftAdvice sets it up around your document types and compliance requirements.
Documents that live everywhere and nowhere
Without solid document control, versions multiply: procedure v3_final, v4_new, personal copies on drives and old PDFs on the shop floor. Until something goes wrong and nobody knows which version was valid.
Today
- People work with outdated procedures, instructions or drawings
- Revisions and approvals are not recorded consistently
- Everyone keeps their own versions on drives or in mailboxes
- Audits expose uncontrolled documents and gaps
- QA spends hours playing document detective
What you want
- One place with only the current, approved version
- Clear workflows for review, approval and publication
- Full insight into who changed what and when
- Documents that are retired automatically when replaced
Document control that grows with your organisation
SoftAdvice builds your document control on M-Files. No folder structures, but metadata and workflows that enforce how documents are created, reviewed, approved, published and retired.
Central version and revision control
One official document with a clear revision line. Users see the current version; QA and document control see the full history.
Standardised workflows
Drafting, review, approval, publication and periodic review in a fixed process, with a clear trail instead of loose e-mails.
Publication and access control
Decide who sees drafts, who approves and who only sees the final version. Ideal for work instructions, safety procedures and quality documents.
Obsoleting and review dates
Replaced documents are marked obsolete automatically. Review dates and named owners make sure critical documents never expire unnoticed.
For organisations where one error in a procedure, work sheet or drawing directly affects safety, quality or cost.
Not folder management, but real control over critical documents
Many organisations try to solve document control with shared drives, SharePoint or separate tools. Without consistent metadata, workflows and access rules it stays mopping with the tap open.
- Documents are driven by roles and processes, not by who knows the folder
- Approvals, revisions and publications are provable and repeatable
- Auditors get an answer to "which version applied on date X?" in minutes
- Teams on the floor always work with one clear, current set of instructions
- Less time searching for procedures, instructions and templates
- Fewer deviations caused by wrong document versions
- Faster audits thanks to traceable revision and approval trails
Frequently asked questions
Does document control in M-Files work with AutoCAD drawings?
Yes. Drawings follow the same revision and approval workflow as procedures, and M-Files integrates with AutoCAD so engineers work from their own tool.
Can old versions still be consulted?
Yes, by authorised roles such as QA and document control. Other users only see the current approved version.
Does it support ISO 9001 and similar standards?
Controlled documents, approval records, review dates and a full audit trail are exactly what quality standards such as ISO 9001 ask for. We configure them around your quality system.
How do we start?
With a short analysis of your document types, owners and approval rules. From there we configure M-Files and migrate the current documents.
One M-Files foundation, four specialisations
Document control, transmittals, deliverables and as-built files share the same metadata, so they reinforce each other.
Document control
Revisions and approvals, always the right version
You are hereAlways the right version. Always audit-ready.
A short session based on your own document types, projects and partners. No generic tour.