Version Control
What is the purpose of version control in document management?
To track changes to a document and ensure the latest version is available.
What is metadata in document management?
Metadata is information that describes a document, such as author, date, department, and project number.
What is a document approval workflow?
A sequence of steps where a document is reviewed and approved by the necessary stakeholders before being finalized.
Why is access control important in document management?
It ensures that only authorized users can view, edit, or approve sensitive documents.
What is document retention?
Document retention refers to policies that dictate how long documents must be kept before being archived or deleted.
What’s the difference between "draft," "approved," and "final" versions of a document?
Draft is a work-in-progress version, approved has gone through the necessary reviews and sign-offs, and final is the officially published document.
Why is metadata important for document retrieval?
It helps users locate documents quickly by filtering and searching based on metadata fields.
What should be done after a document is approved?
It should be locked to prevent further edits, and the approved version should be published or distributed as needed.
What is the purpose of assigning read-only access to certain users?
To allow users to view documents without the ability to make changes.
What is the main purpose of archiving documents?
To store documents that are no longer actively used but must be retained for compliance or historical purposes.
How can you prevent multiple team members from editing a document simultaneously in a document management system?
By using the check-in/check-out feature.
Name two common types of metadata used in document control.
Examples include tag numbers, document type, version number, author, creation date, and project number.
What happens if a document is sent for approval but not approved on time?
It can delay projects or processes that rely on that document, potentially causing compliance or operational issues.
What should you do if a user no longer needs access to a document?
Update the access permissions to remove the user's rights to the document.
When should a document be archived in a document management system?
When it is no longer needed for daily operations but must be retained for legal, regulatory, or reference purposes.
Why is it important to maintain an audit trail of all document versions?
To track the history of changes for accountability, compliance, and recovery of previous versions if needed.
What is the difference between mandatory and optional metadata?
Mandatory metadata fields must be filled out to save a document, while optional fields provide additional information but are not required.
In a document workflow, what is the role of an approver?
The approver is responsible for reviewing the document for accuracy, compliance, and completeness before giving final approval.
What feature of document management systems can track who accessed or edited a document and when?
The audit trail feature.
What are the risks of not following document retention policies?
Legal risks, data clutter, inefficiencies, and potential fines for not retaining documents for the required period.
What could happen if version control is not followed properly?
It can lead to confusion, errors, the use of outdated information, compliance failures, and potential financial or safety risks.
How can inaccurate metadata affect the document management system?
It can lead to difficulties in finding the correct documents, misclassification, and delays in workflows.
Why is it important to have different approval levels for sensitive documents?
It ensures that appropriate stakeholders with the right expertise and authority review and approve documents, particularly when they have legal or financial implications.
What are two common security measures used to protect sensitive documents in a document management system?
Encryption and user-based access control.
What is the difference between archiving and deleting a document?
Archiving stores the document for long-term retention, while deleting permanently removes it from the system.