As the universe of quality management systems expands, it’s interesting to observe the increasing variables that constitute the concept of applicability. Let’s take maintenance of records as an example.

Twenty years ago, the records that were kept and the method of keeping them were relatively straightforward. Most ISO 9001 applications were found in the general manufacturing sector and record maintenance practices were predictably uniform. Records relating to purchasing, customer orders, material receipts, manufacturing processes, and inspections were kept for a specified period of time, which varied from three to seven years, depending on the industry. They were usually hardcopies kept in metal files until they got archived in cardboard boxes warehoused in musty attics.

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