Doc. No.
NDG_DC_SO_002_R00
Filing Management System
SOP
REVIEW/APPROVAL
Date
Name Function Dept. Signature
(DD/MM/YYYY)
Prepared by
Reviewed by
Approved by
DOCUMENT CONTROL
Guideline Effective Document
Version Reason for change Updated by
Date Status
R00 Original 18-May-2025 Salma Active
DISTRIBUTION LIST
PM RD AE DE DC HR
ME EE SE FD IT QS
QC AD
This document becomes effective when approved by appropriate persons. Approval of this page
indicates approval of all pages in this procedure.
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Doc. No. NDG_DC_SO_002_R00
Table of Contents
1. Purpose...................................................................................................................................3
2. Scope......................................................................................................................................3
3. Definitions..............................................................................................................................3
4. Responsibilities.......................................................................................................................3
5. Filing categories......................................................................................................................3
6. Filing Procedure......................................................................................................................4
6.1 Folder Structure Setup....................................................................................................4
6.2 Naming Conventions.......................................................................................................5
6.3 Storage Control...............................................................................................................5
6.4 Access Control.................................................................................................................5
6.4.1 Folder Level permissions:........................................................................................5
6.4.2 Access Management Process:.................................................................................5
6.5 Backup & Recovery.........................................................................................................5
6.6 Storage Monitoring.........................................................................................................5
6.7 Retention & Disposal......................................................................................................6
6.8 Audit & Review...............................................................................................................6
7. Best Practices..........................................................................................................................6
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Doc. No. NDG_DC_SO_002_R00
1. Purpose
To establish a standardized procedure for organizing, storing, retrieving, and archiving
documents to ensure efficiency, accessibility, and compliance with recordkeeping
policies
2. Scope
Applies to all departments and employees responsible for creating, handling, and
storing documents within NDG
3. Definitions
Active Files: Documents currently in use.
Inactive Files: Documents not needed for current operations but retained for
reference or legal purposes.
Archived Files: Documents stored long-term or permanently due to legal or
historical value.
4. Responsibilities
Document Owners: Ensure documents are filed promptly and accurately.
IT: Maintain the integrity of the filing system, provide access, and perform
audits.
All Staff: Follow filing protocols and report discrepancies.
5. Filing categories
Files should be organized by a logical and consistent structure. Choose one or a
combination:
By Department (e.g., AE, AD)
By Date (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD)
By Project/Client Name
By Document Type (e.g., contracts, reports)
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Doc. No. NDG_DC_SO_002_R00
6. Filing Procedure
1.1 Folder Structure Setup
Follow a standardized top-down folder structure Hierarchy Diagram:
/Department/
/Year/
/Month/
/Project or Client /
├── Department (e.g., AE, AD)
├── Year (e.g., 2025)
├── Month (e.g., May)
├── Project/Client Name (e.g., MOD, ACE)
├── Site (e.g., ARAR)
├── 00-INFORMATION
├── 01-WIP
├── 02-SHARED
└─... (etc.)
Each folder will contain predefined subfolders based on business function.
Use only approved folder names; no personal or random folder creation allowed.
Document Lifecycle Flowchart:
[Create Document]
↓
[Save in 01-WIP Folder]
↓
[Review & Approval]
↓
[Move to 02-SHARED or 03-PUBLISHED]
↓
[Project Completion]
↓
[Move to 04-ARCHIVE]
↓
[Retention Period Expires]
↓
[Shred/Delete or Move to Long-Term Archive]
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Doc. No. NDG_DC_SO_002_R00
1.2 Naming Conventions
Use clear, consistent file names based on company naming convention policy REF.XX
- Avoid special characters and vague names like 'Document1' or 'Final_V2'.
1.3 Storage Control
Store only essential documents. Archive old/rarely used files:
- Current year: main storage.
- Past 2–3 years: archived storage.
- Older: move to cold/archive storage or delete (if permitted).
1.4 Access Control
1.4.1 Folder Level permissions:
Only authorized personnel may access certain folders
Ex. /AE/2025/May/ARAR/01-WIP – Access restricted to AE team leads and assigned
project staff.
/04-ARCHIVE – Read-only access; changes permitted only by Department Managers.
1.4.2 Access Management Process:
Set permissions as needed.
Action Responsible Party Process
Grant Access Department Head/IT Submit access request form to IT
Revoke Access IT/Admin Remove permissions upon
project closure or exit
Permission Review IT Quarterly check to validate user
permissions
Folder Path Access Level Roles
/01-WIP/ Read/Write Project Team
/02-SHARED/ Read All project staff
/04-ARCHIVE/ Read-only Dept. Managers/Admin
1.5 Backup & Recovery
Implement regular automated backups (daily or weekly).
1.6 Storage Monitoring
Use built-in tools or third-party apps to monitor:
- Storage use per department.
- File types consuming the most space.
- Set alerts for nearing quota limits.
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Doc. No. NDG_DC_SO_002_R00
1.7 Retention & Disposal
Document Type Retention Period Disposal Method Notes
After expiration or
Contracts 5 years Shred/Delete
project closure
Includes drawings,
Project Files 3 years after
Shred/Delete correspondences,
/Documentation completion
studies
Permanent or 10
Meeting minutes Archive securely
years
1.8 Audit & Review
Conduct quarterly folder audits:
Check for duplicate, outdated, misnamed or orphaned files.
Maintain an Audit Log: who reviewed, when, and what actions were taken.
Audit Log Template:
Date Author Department Issue Found Actions Taken
2025-05-15 Admin/IT AE 3 duplicate files, Deleted,
1 misnamed folder renamed
Use tools like cloud analytics to review usage.
Ex. Microsoft SharePoint analytics, Google Drive Activity Dashboard
7. Best Practices
- Train staff on the folder structure and naming conventions.
- Periodically declutter files.
- Use cloud options with lifecycle policies (e.g., auto-archive after 90 days).
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