Document Number Tracking

[Austin Schukar]

Hey all,

I know that this is a very broad topic, but I'd like to see what everyone here is doing. Hopefully gets some good discussion, anyways. I'm tasked with setting up an add-in to track our document numbers (drawings & reports in my case, specifically) in our PDM (SWPDM/Conisio), or at least researching options to do so. We currently use Access, and it is admittedly very cumbersome. All drawing/report details are entered manually, and requires full compliance to be of any use. You can see where I'm going.

What I'd like to know is: How do you your teams track document numbers (e.g. which doc #s are used)? Could be Excel, Word, Access, text file, database, whiteboard, manually searching PDM, you name it. No expectations here.

[JSculley]

If you have an ERP system, find a way to hook into that, even if it is just to get unique part numbers. That's what we do here. If you don't have an ERP system, consider using PDMs serial number capability. If you have convoluted, supposedly 'intelligent' document numbering system, consider trashing it and switching to dumb, sequential six digit numbers.

The key to compliance is removing the user from the equation as much as possible. If it happens automatically, they can't do it wrong or omit doing it.

[Austin Schukar]

If you have an ERP system, find a way to hook into that, even if it is just to get unique part numbers. That's what we do here. If you don't have an ERP system, consider using PDMs serial number capability. If you have convoluted, supposedly 'intelligent' document numbering system, consider trashing it and switching to dumb, sequential six digit numbers.

The key to compliance is removing the user from the equation as much as possible. If it happens automatically, they can't do it wrong or omit doing it.

Well, I have my hands tied as far as the part numbering system goes. We just implemented a new system, and had the chance to really make things easier on ourselves. We accomplished the opposite of that. I voiced my support for 'dumb,' sequential numbering, and everyone else nixed the topic, almost immediately.

There's a power user in our group that pretty well dictated our new doc numbering system, and it's beyond 'intelligence.' I'll spare details, but among other things, there's now a set of numbers that can be determined arbitrarily, to allow 'flexibility.' This makes the task of setting up an automatic doc numbering tracker seemingly impossible (even with 100% user input and compliance). It's incredibly frustrating.

[JuTu]

We use a PDM issued six-digit system with a prefix letter that tells in general in which ball park we are running around - project, mechanical design, hydraulic design, etc.

Now that I have read your thoughts I must admit that I started to appreciate this simplistic system. Anything needed to do by hand is a no-go and/or will eventually breakup due to human factors involved.