How do I create a Document Type?

Follow these steps:

1. Go to Documents > Document Type > click on the New + button

The Document Type Details Form will open. Only a few of the fields are mandatory, most are optional.

All the fields that are introduced in this Document Type will automatically be populated in the new Documents you create based on this Document Type.

Make sure you fill out all the fields you want to be standard in the Documents that are created based on this Document Type.

2. Fill out the mandatory fields

• Assign the Document Type to one or more Groups. 
• Give the Document Type a Title such as for example Standard Operating Procedure.
• Set a Document Prefix, following the example title above this could be SOP. The Prefix will be used when automatically generating the Document ID. 

3. Fill out the optional fields you wish to include.

• A description can be added in Document Type Description.
• Select Tag(s): you can add one or more existing Tags or create a Tag on the fly.
• Periodic Review: you can choose how often the Document Type is to be reviewed. The default setting is Never.
• Notify about approaching Periodic Review date: you can also choose if you would like the system to notify you beforehand when the time comes for the Document to be reviewed. A default setting can be defined in Module Settings > General for all Document Types.
• Upload a Document Template if you want this Document Type to be based on a specific template. Templates can have Excel, Word, and PowerPoint formats. You can add system variables in the templates. Before uploading the Document Template, you must place the variables where you want them to appear in the document and they will be updated automatically as the fields are completed in the system.
• Enable PDF creation: if this is enabled, the Documents based on this Document Type will be converted to PDF format once they have attained Approved, Not Published, and Published status. Before you enable this consider the use of this Document. If it is a Form that needs to be filled out, it will be best not to enable PDF creation.
• Block downloads: if you enable this option users will not be able to download Documents based on this Document Type.
• Block Regular Prints: if you enable this option users will not be able to print Documents based on this Document Type.
• Turnaround Times: Depending on your module settings this can be updated or configured at Document Type level.

 4. Determine the Approval Cycle for the Document Type 

The Approval Cycle you define in the Document Type will be the same for all Documents that are created based on that Document Type. You can always edit and modify this in each Document but, if you think the Approval Cycle will most likely vary even if Documents are based on the same Document Type, then it is probably best not to define the Approval  Cycle in the Document Type.

You can set up the Approval Cycle in Scilife so that it fits your organization's needs. It can be as simple or as complex as you need it to be. 

Documents can be created, written, and published by one user without being reviewed, approved nor signed off by QA, nor anybody else.

On the other hand, you can set more than one User in the roles of Reviewer, Approver and QA. Moreover, through Module Settings, you can Update the Settings so that it is necessary for all of them to sign off at each step before the Document advances in the Approval Cycle.

It is also possible to define the order in which Documents are signed off on, which can be enabled in Module Settings and then updated on Document level.

In the Document Type Details form you can add the users in the different roles:

• Select Reviewer(s).
• Select Approver(s).
• Select QA(s).

None of these roles are mandatory, they will be based on the approval cycle you wish to set for the Document Type.

5. Set email notifications

Finally, you can define who you want to be notified by email when the Documents based on this Document Type reach Approved, Not Published and/or Published status. The checkboxes will be filled according to the roles you have set but you can deselect if you want to disable these email notifications.