The Documents Dashboard
The Documents Dashboard gives you an instant and detailed view into the state of all documents you are the owner of and lists all of your documents that are due for periodic review. This dashboard also lists documents that have overdue or coming due target approval dates. Upon changing the dashboard view, you may also review your direct reports information, as well as the document information for the whole company. The dashboard pipeline chart shows which documents are current on their reviews and target approval dates (green bars), have a review or target approval date coming due between now and the end of the next month (yellow bars), or items that are past their review date or target approval date (red bar).
To access more detailed information, simply click on the bars in the pipeline chart. To open a specific document, click on its document key ID. You can customize the data table by adding or removing columns as needed. Additionally, the table allows you to export data to an Excel or CSV file. It also features an advanced filtering option for more precise data management.
The Documents Full Table
The documents full table lists all documents, minus archived documents, that are in the account. This includes effective, approved, draft, waiting approval, and reviewed documents. To get to the documents full table, you will select 'Documents: Full Table' from the documents dashboard view selector dropdown. Similar to our other data tables, it can be customized and exported.
Documents Archive Table
The document archive table is a critical component used to manage and organize archived documents systematically. This table functions as a centralized repository that tracks essential documents throughout their lifecycle, from creation to retirement. It ensures that all retired documents are stored in an orderly manner, making them easily retrievable and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. To get to the archive table, select 'Documents: Archive Table' from the documents module dropdown.
The archive table shares many features with the full table, including advanced filtering options and the ability to save customized table views. However, it includes two unique columns: the 'Archive Action' & 'Retirement Reason'. The archive action setting is configured at the document category level and indicates whether a document can be deleted from the account and specifies the timeframe within which it can be deleted after retirement. The retirement reason column will let you know if the document was obsoleted or superceded.
Document Categories
To create document categories, users must be assigned to the 'Administration: Account Super User' role. Begin by navigating to 'Settings >Document Categories'. All created categories will be displayed in the table. To create a new category, click on the 'create' button. Add the information needed and click 'create' when finished. Next, you will be directed to the category settings page. One this page, there are four tabs along the top: general, roles/permissions, PDF export options, & custom fields.
General Tab
In the general tab you will see four areas: details, workflows, default settings for new documents, & default training settings for new documents. The details section displays the category details, such as the name, description, & Key-ID information. In the workflow section, you can configure workflow approval signatures for various document states. The document security, archive rules, and document review interval are configured in the default settings for new documents section. Training grace periods, user retraining intervals, and auto training record creation for authors and workflow participants are configured under the default training settings for new documents section.
Roles/Permissions Tab
The permissions granted at the document category level are applied to that specific document category only. These permissions listed can be assigned to either individuals or roles. Please see the permission list and explanations below.
PDF Export Tab
The PDF export options tab is the place to configure what will be included in PDF exports:
Shrink Document to Accommodate Header: The application will automatically create a margin at the top of the documents to fit the ZenQMS generated header.
Include ZenQMS Data Page: The data page summarizes key document metadata that can be added to the export; there are options under this section to include on the data page.
Insert Page Header: This is the ZenQMS generated header. The header will always display the document name, state, and version. There is the option to either add the document Key-ID, legacy ZenQMS document ID, or no ID at all.
Custom Fields: If custom fields are created for the document category, they can be added to the generated header.
Add Watermarks: Watermark configurations are made here. Watermarks can be different for various states of documents.
Custom Fields Tab
This section allows you to create & manage document custom fields that will be linked to all documents in the document category. These fields will be visible in the document view screen and exported PDFs (in header or content sections). The data fields can also be used in the documents full table filters/sorts. There are three custom field types that can be added to a document category:
Plain Text/Instructions: It will be a text box that you can add instructions or any other applicable information.
Account Custom Fields: These are custom fields that are made at the account level. These custom field types are universal that can be used in other modules.
Category Specific Custom Fields: These are custom fields that will be for the specific document category only. You would create this custom field type here by clicking this option.
Document Category Workflows
There are four approval workflows for each document category: major, minor, review, and retirement; these workflows can mimic each other, or they can be different in their entirety. The document category needs to be in a draft state in order to edit the workflow steps. You can adjust users/roles assigned to the workflow steps while the category is in the active state.
Approval-Major Revisions Workflow
Major revisions involve significant changes to the content, structure, or procedures outlined in a document. These changes may impact the current process and may require retraining of users. To set up this workflow, click the 'manage' button next to the workflow name.
Periodic Review Workflow
A periodic review is the process of evaluating and updating a document to ensure its accuracy and effectiveness. During a periodic review, the document reviewer signs off first, after which the item proceeds through the configured workflow. A document reviewer is the user who initiates the review. The author is not required to sign if the document reviewer is different than the author.
Retirement Workflow
Retirement of a document refers to the process of obsoleting documents to ensure that only current and relevant documents are available in the account. During a retirement workflow, a review workflow needs completed first. The total workflow process for retirement is:
- Document Reviewer (not always the author)
- Periodic Review Workflow
- Document Author
- Retirement Workflow
Minor Approval Workflow
Minor revisions involve relatively small or incremental changes to the existing document without fundamentally altering the process or procedures. These changes do not require retraining nor update the 'next review date' unless you chose to update the date. If you need users to retrain on this minor reversion, you will need to 'force all users to retrain' at the document level once the minor revision is approved/effective.
Document authors, users assigned to the 'Administration: Account Super User' role, and users with the document category permission 'Can Edit Any Document in this Category' can initiate a review and sign off as the document reviewer in the workflow.
After filling in all of the category settings, approve the category for use under the 'actions' button to begin adding documents to it.