Start with the list of vendor document requirements (VDR)

Typically, your customer will provide a VDRL (Vendor Document Requirements List) – especially on larger projects. This is the core document-related contract between customer and supplier identifying the types of document to supply, delivery timelines, and databook requirements.

In DocBoss, you translate (upload) your customer’s VDR into our document requirements screen. We then use this critical data to help you define the specific registers required on the project, their due dates, and the databooks.

On less formal contracts (or if your customer doesn’t provide VDR), you define your own project requirements. Just because your customers don’t have a formal process, doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from a process of your own!

Tag to Document Relationships

When submitting vendor documentation, it is critical to cross-reference all of the appropriate equipment. Generally, customers request that you provide tag number relationships for every submitted document. DocBoss not only ensures you have provided this data, but (especially in the case of auto-generated registers) we ensure that those tag lists are updated as the project changes.

Build the perfect document list quickly and easily

DocBoss allows you to automate the creation of your full document list and tracks the document-specific impact of equipment change orders.

Automate the document numbering, for yourself, and for your customer

Having a structured numbering convention is a critical piece of successful document control. DocBoss users can program the customer convention into the system, and DocBoss will assign all customer numbering. Of course – the same is true for the supplier numbering.

Are you charging for your document work?

Suppliers often roll the costs for document control into the overall project cost. While this is suitable for large custom equipment – the cost for document control quickly becomes unsupportable for high volume, smaller equipment. The DocBoss quote module allows users to make use of the DocBoss structure to define the document requirements and provide a clear, easy-to-read, quote for document services. Generally provided as an appendix to the equipment quote – it makes your document quotes consistent and gives your customers a detailed breakout of the work they are receiving.

Lastly – it helps define the price structure at the quote stage, so variations can be negotiated as the project grows in scope.

Tired of building and attaching cover sheets?

Let DocBoss append the cover sheets to every document, on every submission. By uploading your customer’s cover sheet template to the DocBoss system, you relinquish all of the manual work of completing the cover sheets. DocBoss builds the cover sheets and appends them to each document. Never make a mistake with tag lists, titles, numbers, submission history, formatting etc.

Perfect cover sheets, using your customer’s templates, every time. Included.

Apply custom headers and footers to every page of every document

When submitting many documents and many pages, it is often beneficial to add headers and footers to every submitted page. While working on each individual document can be extremely time-consuming (and error-prone) DocBoss allows you to simple define what data fields you would like in each area. Plus, we automate the application of the data to every document.

Yes, even password-protected files.

Other output templates – transmittals and index reports

The best practice is to provide a transmittal sheet with every submittal, listing every document being submitted. Of course – DocBoss has our own default templates, but if your customer requests that you complete their template (often so they can easily upload it to their system), you can simply upload it to DocBoss (after adding a few DocBoss variables), all of the data will be auto-populated on submittal.

When it comes to overall project tracking – your customers will often provide a template for that purpose. With DocBoss – this document is simply another template to upload. Because DocBoss tracks all of the required data, you can simply regenerate the index/tracking report exactly in your customer’s format, at any time. Even if it is required on every submittal! All of the data is perfectly tracked in the system and reported to your customer on their template. They’ll never know you are using DocBoss.

Ensure document delivery

When working with customers by email, everyone has a case of a document not received. With DocBoss, you send email notifications directly to your customers. Customers click on a link, and download the documents. DocBoss keeps track of who and when the documents were downloaded. We also alert you if documents have not been downloaded within a timeline you define.

Project Dashboard

Being able to see all projects in one view is a nice way to kick off your weekly review. Filter, group and organize projects as you see fit, apply lenses to only show the types of documents you care about, and drill down into any value you find surprising. As a document controller looking to identify late items, or a project manager trying to get an update before a client meeting, we’ve got you covered.

Current location and due dates

Knowing who has your documents, and their due/overdue status is key to success in document control. DocBoss allows you to proactively chase documents. Know which documents are due/overdue to your customer, which ones they owe you back, and which documents are with your vendors. Chase ’em down!

Assign documents to your team for review

While sending and receiving documents to other companies is a core function in DocBoss, we also allow you to route documents to internal users for review and evaluations. Maybe the document you just received from your customer must be reviewed by the project manager before going back to the vendor.

No problem. Just assign the document in docboss, and we’ll help you track the time turnaround time, and notify you when the user has completed the action (or maybe whether you need to give them some helpful encouragement to get ‘er done).

Chase down the missing documents

Of course, not every vendor is skilled at document control. Whether they provide you with a list of documents (fabrication vendors), or you help them by auto-generating the full list of required docs (instrument & valve vendors) DocBoss helps you track missing documents.

Query by vendor, project, tag, due date etc. Create expedite requests, and fire them out to your vendor. Again – if using auto-generated registers, you could easily issue the complete document list (not just VDR codes) when you issue the PO.

Moving documents through multiple issue purposes. (IFA, IFC, As-Built)

DocBoss allows you to define a larger workflow for each document code. Maybe drawings must be issued as IFA, then IFC, then As-Built – BUT, what about calibration certificates? Surely those are only issued as IFR or IFI.

DocBoss allows you to assign a default workflow to each type of document (code). Once a document has been approved by the customer (i.e. code 1), DocBoss will bump the stage, and wait for the register to be re-filled with the IFC document.

Also – maybe you need an intermediate stage to ensure the approved document is returned to the vendor to start manufacturing. All part of stage workflow in DocBoss.

Vendor portal

Many of our customers have sub-vendors who also supply documents. Instead of receiving everything by email, let your vendors upload their documents directly into DocBoss. They drag each document to the waiting register, track what’s missing, report on timelines, and push submittals to you directly inside your DocBoss instance!

Document Compilations (Databooks, Record Books, Dossiers etc..)

As the last step in the project document process, most jobs require some compiled set of documents for final submission. Enter the Databook.

Configurability is key, as your customers have a wide variety of expectations for databook outputs. Bookmarks, hyperlinks, specific codes included/excluded, indexes, section covers, tag lists, with/ without cover sheets. DocBoss allows you to configure the books, and then generate them with a click of a button. Maybe you need a book for each major tag? Done.

Of course, maybe your customer doesn’t have a databook requirement. Who says you can’t just deliver one to upstage your competitors?

Lemme outta here!

Maybe you need to prepare a CD for a project. Or maybe you’re just done with DocBoss for a while…

At any point, you can take a full backup of your project from DocBoss. Every version of every document can be downloaded in a bulk archive action. Whether you just want a local copy, want to remove the project from DocBoss, or want to stop your subscription, the data is yours, and you can get it anytime you like.