How does TQA.Cloud Handle Document Control?
TQA.Cloud offers powerful document control features that can help organizations manage their documents effectively. With TQA.Cloud, users can easily view, edit, and approve documents in a controlled and auditable manner.
When a document is uploaded to TQA.Cloud, it can be set to require approval before it can be published or made available to users. This ensures that only approved documents are accessible to users. Users can also view the document’s approval status, so they know whether a document has been approved or is still awaiting approval.
Once a document is ready for approval, TQA.Cloud provides a robust approval automation system that sends notifications to specific users or multiple users when a document is submitted for approval, allowing them to review and approve the document.
Document Control Permissions
In TQA.Cloud, read, edit, and approve permissions determine what actions a user can perform on a document. When a document is checked out, users with the appropriate permissions can view, edit, and save changes to the document without affecting the version that is visible to other users.
Read permission allows users to view a document, but not make any changes to it. Edit permission allows users to view and make changes to a document. Approve permission allows users to approve or reject a document, as well as publish approved documents.
When a user checks out a document, they can edit it without affecting the version of the document that other users can see. Once the user is finished editing the document, they can check it back in, at which point the updated version is visible to other users.
Types of Documents
TQA.Cloud categorizes controlled documents into two categories for permissions purposes; Process Documents and Technical Documents. When assigning Read, Edit, or Approve permissions to users in the Security Portal, permissions will apply to all Document Libraries for that Type.
| Process Documents | Technical Documents |
| (DWG) Drawings | (EXT) External Documents |
| (FRM) Forms and Documents | (TCH) Technical Documents and Specifications |
| (JOB) Job Descriptions | (DWG) Drawings |
| (PRO) Process Procedures | (INSP) Inspection Forms |
| (PWK) Process Work Instructions |
Adding Documents to a Document Library
Adding documents to a TQA.Cloud document library can be done in several ways, but the most common methods are creating a new document within the library or importing an existing document from another location.
To create a document in the library, first navigate to the desired library and click the “New” button. From there, select the type of document you want to create and then edit the document as needed.
To import a document from another location, simply drag and drop the document into the document library area. This will create an online copy of the document within the library without moving the original document from its location.
Once the document is added to the library, it can be checked in for approval and made available to other users according to the library’s approval workflow.
Checking Documents In and Out
Checking documents in and out is a feature in TQA.Cloud that allows users to control who can edit documents and prevent conflicts when multiple users are working on the same document. When a user checks out a document, they become the only person who can edit it until they check it back in.
You will notice that when you first create a document that it is checked out to the user who created it. If you would like to Check out a document to edit it simply either right click, click the “3 dots”, or select the document and click “More” and then “Check Out”.
When you are finished editing the document Check the document back in the same way by saving and closing the document either right click, click the “3 dots”, or select the document and click “More” and then “Check-In”.
Approving a Document
When a document is Checked In as a Major Version, or Published, it will automatically go into the Approvals Process where:
- Required Approvers will receive an email with a link to the pending document
- Approvers will review and either approve or reject the document from the email they receive. Comments can be added to the response which the publisher and other approvers will see.
- Once all approvers have given their response, the automation will either set the document Status to “Approved”, if all approvers accepted the document, or notify the publisher that their document was rejected if any of the approvers Rejected the document.
“How do I set who the Approvers are?”
Each approval request notification can be sent to up to 4 people for their approval. These users are what is assigned whenever the document is added to the document library and the “Required Approvers” selection is made. In order to specify which users will be notified based off of the “Required Approvers” selection, you will need to navigate to either of the two locations below and modify up to 4 user emails for each selection.
Version History
This feature enables you to view, restore, and compare previous versions, ensuring that you never lose important information and can easily revert to an earlier version if needed.
Key Features of TQA.Cloud Version History:
- Version Tracking: TQA.Cloud automatically tracks the history of changes made to a document, recording the date, time, and user who modified it. This makes it easy to see when updates occurred and who was responsible for them.
- Version Comparison: You can compare two versions of a document side-by-side, allowing you to quickly identify the differences between them. This feature is particularly useful when reviewing changes made by multiple users.
- Version Restoration: If an error occurs or if you simply prefer an earlier version of a document, you can easily restore it with just a few clicks. This eliminates the need to recreate content manually and ensures that your team always has access to the most accurate information.
With TQA.Cloud’s Version History function, you can confidently make changes to your documents, knowing that previous versions are safely stored and accessible whenever needed. This feature streamlines collaboration and document management, ultimately enhancing the productivity and efficiency of your team.
Displaying the Proper Version in Your Document Headers
TQA.Cloud provides a powerful and efficient version history tracking system to manage and monitor changes made to documents. However, it is essential to understand that while TQA.Cloud automatically tracks the version history of a document, it does not update the version number within the actual content of the document itself. This means that any version numbers displayed in headers or within the text must be manually updated by users to ensure consistency between the document contents version history and the version history tracked by TQA.Cloud. As a result, it is vital to establish a clear process for updating version numbers within documents and to train team members on best practices to maintain accuracy and coherence throughout the document management process. See the video below to see how to ensure that the TQA.Cloud version and the version information located in the document are the same.