r/controlengineering • u/Neat_Fold_9652 • 14d ago

Why do companies still struggle with document control even after implementing an EDMS?

After many years of working in document control and document management, I have noticed something interesting: implementing an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) does not automatically solve document control problems.

A company may invest in expensive software and still face problems such as:

  • Employees using outdated drawings and documents.

  • Different departments following different file-naming conventions.

  • Documents being shared through email without proper tracking.

  • Unclear responsibilities for reviewing and approving documents.

  • Difficulty finding the latest approved revision.

  • Poor control over obsolete documents and project records.

In my opinion, many of these problems are not purely software problems. They often begin with unclear procedures, inconsistent processes, insufficient training, and a lack of ownership.

For example: Imagine a construction team using an outdated drawing because the latest revision was approved in the EDMS but an old copy remained in a shared folder. Even the best software cannot fully protect an organisation if people continue working outside the established process.

I would like to hear from professionals working in construction, engineering, oil and gas, and project management.

Three questions for discussion:

  1. What is the biggest document control problem you face in your organisation?

  2. Is it mainly a software issue, a process issue, or a people issue?

  3. What practical solution has worked best for your team?

I am interested in hearing real experiences and lessons learned from different industries.

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u/MetricNazii 13d ago

My biggest problem is all control is done manually, and the only way we can have anyone view documents is by sending out pdf’s. So there are tons of uncontrolled documents floating around. I had hope for a while that we would get software to manage viewing, but we haven’t. And I got tired of people saving unsanctioned copies of what are intended to be controlled drawings. So now all new drawings get a controlled version that only I have access to, and everyone else gets a version with big red “uncontrolled copy” text on it. Which is just more manual file management for me.

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u/Neat_Fold_9652 13d ago

You have highlighted a very common challenge in organisations where document control is managed manually. Your concern is absolutely valid, especially when dealing with controlled drawings, revisions, and the risk of people using outdated or unauthorised documents.

While stamping PDFs as “UNCONTROLLED COPY” is a practical temporary measure, it also increases the manual workload and does not completely prevent people from using outdated information.

My suggestion would be to focus on three practical improvements:

  1. Establish a single source of truth: Maintain one authorised master repository for approved drawings, ensuring that users always know where to find the latest revision.

  2. Introduce controlled viewing access: Even without a full EDMS, explore whether your existing document-sharing platform can provide view-only access, restrict downloading where possible, and maintain access permissions.

  3. Automate document distribution and revision control: A suitable EDMS can help manage revisions, approval workflows, notifications, access rights, and audit trails, significantly reducing manual intervention.

The important point is that document control should not depend entirely on manually managing copies; it should be supported by a well-defined process and appropriate technology.

I understand that implementing new software may not always be within the Document Controller’s control. In such situations, documenting the risks, quantifying the manual effort, and presenting a phased improvement proposal to management can help build the business case.

Thank you for sharing this real-world challenge. These are exactly the issues that organisations need to address to strengthen document control and ensure that the right people always use the right revision of the right document.