I was recently asked to comment on the ISO 9001 requirements regarding external documents. My first reaction was to point out a distinctive subtlety in the actual text of the requirement. Many users have gotten into the habit of referring to this category as “external documents” when in fact, the term in subclause 4.2.3 of ISO 9001 is: "documents of external origin." Although this may sound like unnecessary hairsplitting, it really does make a difference. The precisely chosen words help to provide guidance to the intent that underlies this requirement.

Consider the interpretation of each. The term “external document” is ambiguous and vague, leaving the reader baffled as to what exactly falls into this particular grouping. It’s been misconstrued to have several meanings, including any document that isn’t physically at the organization’s location or a document that has been issued and sent out, resulting in a loss of control. By contrast, a document of external origin is explicitly one that originates from outside the organization and contains specific information that the organization needs to fulfill customer requirements, maintain their quality management system (QMS) or comply with statutes, for example.

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