Understanding Good Documentation Practices-Part-2: 5-Principles

For any organization to guarantee that its activities are carried out correctly and efficiently, good documentation practices are vital. They support the safe, easy retrieval, correct storage, and sharing of information. Good Documentation Practices are founded on five Pillars.  This post will examine five essential concepts that can support businesses in keeping correct records and operating at maximum effectiveness.

Truth: This standard maintains that the person who completed the process/task completes the appropriate documentation. All important information that is generated during an operation or process must be recorded by who performed the operation and when it was carried out, such information should be legible, accurate, dated, traceable, and accessible.

Accuracy: Accuracy means that the data is free from Errors/Corrections and Omissions. Any change in entries shall be made so as not to obscure the original entry, shall indicate the reason for such change, and shall be dated and signed or identified at the time of the change.

Completeness:  All the data generated from the processes must be included in the document. Data entries must be made or completed at the time the action is performed. Entries in logbooks should be done in chronological order. It is necessary to document anything that directly impacts a product. Record every procedure you write and test performed.

Legibility:  The information must be easily recognizable— the data can be read and understood by someone other than the person who wrote it. Original documents should be easily distinguishable from photocopies, and should have clear and concise information. Good documents should have sufficient space for entries, to record variable information and signature and to attach print-outs etc

Timeliness: All entries must be written on the document at the time that the process or activity happened.  Further, all entries must be written down in the order that they occurred. All data entries shall be dated on the date of entry and signed or initialed by the person entering the data.

Inaccurate data:  These types of errors include but not limited to:

1. Date Error (DE)
2. Spelling Error (SP)
3. Calculation Error (CE)
4. Entry Error-Including transcription and transposition errors (EE)
5. Late Entry (LE)
6. Significant Figure Error (SF)
7. Rounding Error (RE)

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