A match must pass two checks
Imagine a fictitious assembly line with product variants A and B. The search is for the instruction for the final inspection of variant B. An approved instruction for A is not enough here, and neither is a draft for B that has not yet been approved. Before each search, define how the right job can be identified: for example, by item number, variant, workstation and inspection step.
| Matches the job | Version approved | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | Check the scope and associated inspection documents against the source |
| Yes | Unclear or no | Have the responsible department clarify the approval status |
| No | Any | Continue searching with the right variant or workstation |
| Unclear | Any | Specify the job more precisely and involve the responsible specialist |
Base the search on a verified document collection
In Nexoria, you can assign selected documents from Drive to a workspace. Nex answers questions from this indexed collection and refers to the documents it used. Workspaces set the boundaries of the accessible knowledge space. Whether a version is approved for operational use must be ensured by your document process. The search helps with finding and looking things up.
To get started, prepare the documents for one product family. The responsible department decides, in line with your existing procedure, which versions currently apply. The identifier, revision status and scope must be clear from this. A later change date alone does not replace this decision.
For the fictitious line, a useful search question would be: Which approved work instruction applies to the final inspection of variant B at station 2? Then open the cited source. Check the assignment and the documented approval status. A convincingly worded answer alone does not end the check.
Four search cases for a meaningful test
Test with a person who did not set up the file storage. The department responsible for the subject matter records in advance which source and which next step are expected. Use the following invented cases as templates and replace identifiers and responsibilities with your own company details. Run the test in a separate practice collection.
- The clear-cut case: the search is for the final inspection of variant B at station 2. The expected result is the approved instruction B 02 and the associated inspection record. The test person shows both sources and their scope.
- The similar variant: there is also an approved instruction A 02 with an almost identical title. The test person is expected to recognise the difference and select the source for B.
- The new draft: alongside B 02, there is the more recent draft B 03. A check of the status is expected. The newer file date must not count as proof of approval.
- The missing basis: there is no instruction for a special variant. The expected result is an explicit query to the responsible department. A similar instruction is not a confirmed solution for this case.
Turn every search error into a concrete change
For each case, note the question asked, the source found, the approval status identified and the open query. You can also record the search time. A quick but wrong match must not count as a success. Correctly recognising a missing basis is also a meaningful test result.
Classify the cause. If the variant designation is missing from the document, the description needs to be improved. If two versions are visible without a recognisable status, document maintenance needs correcting. If the right search term is missing, add clear designations and the abbreviations commonly used in your company. Then repeat exactly the case concerned.
Record who will make the correction and when it will be checked. This turns the search test into a manageable improvement task. The number of files found says little on its own about whether employees can continue working with the right document.
Run through a document change from start to finish
Finally, test a change of version. In the fictitious example, B 03 is now approved in line with the company procedure. Check how the new version is made available, how the previous one is removed from the active working documents and how documents subject to retention requirements are handled separately. Also take printouts and local copies into account. Your existing document rules remain authoritative.
Have the same search question answered again. Only when the assignment, status and source are traceable should you extend the trial to another product family. Before doing so, clarify who will maintain the collection on an ongoing basis and how changes from existing systems are to be carried over. This lets you check the complete workflow, from the change to the right document at the workplace.