Web Document Management in a Familiar Interface

Web document management, though not quite ubiquitous in every industry, is quickly becoming a standard tool, especially in regulated industries or industries that maintain high standards of document management and control.

The Problem


Many companies have web document management and control systems and are reaping the benefits, but now they face a new problem: systems overload. Between MS Office applications, ERP systems, CAD, applications, product lifecycle and quality management solutions there are simply too many systems and too little time. The results? Resulting frustrations can sometimes result in deviations from document control protocol.

Web Document Management in a Familiar Interface


Web document management solutions, when used from a familiar interface such as MS Word can provide the following benefits to companies in need of automated document management and control.

• Saves time for QA representatives;



• Saves time for content authors such as marketing, manufacturing, labs, R&D and engineering personnel who prefer to work from a solution that is familiar without spending time to become extensively trained to run a new web document management and control solution;



• Can help IT personnel by not requiring them to support a long web document management solution implementation;



• Requires less training if the web document management solution can be accessed via familiar interfaces such as MS Word for example;



• Helps employees accept the new web document management application more readily;



• Helps more employees gain skills associated with document control and may allow for the reduction of payroll expenses;



• Helps more employees understand the importance of web document management especially in highly regulated environments;



• Allows for more effective compliance with standards such as the FDA's 21 CFR Part 11 requirements and ISO standards. Also allows compliance to be achieved more readily and with the help of more personnel;



• Time is saved since users don't have to have intensive training and don't have to open various applications and then jump from one application to another;



• The time it takes to access important documents is reduced;



• May result in a reduction of liability costs;

Additional Familiar Interfaces


Familiar HTML-based email interfaces are also an ideal way to work with tasks associated with web document management/control. Companies should search for a web document management solution that interfaces with any HTML-based email client that provides the following features and benefits:

• Allows busy senior management executives to quickly receive "approval assignments" via email (i.e., documents that they have to approve) and quickly sign off on these documents without having to extensively maneuver through a web document management solution;



• Helps engineers, clinical representatives or even regulatory personnel use an application that is a part of their daily routine--not their monthly routine;



• Makes it more difficult for the approval of documents to be overlooked;



• Makes processes obvious (i.e., a step-by-step process);



• Many representatives company-wide can manage their many assignments in one area;



• Companies will save time in terms of the document approval processes;

Web Document Management via MS SharePoint


Integration and connectors between web document management and control solutions with MS SharePoint may also be valuable for companies that are currently using the application or plan to use it in the future.

Marci Crane is a marketing communication specialist for MasterControl in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information in regard to web document management solutions that can be used from the interfaces you are familiar with, please feel free to contact a MasterControl representative.