Document Control for Environmental Testing Labs

Document control in the Atlantis NDT ERP centres on the Procedures app, where your NDT procedures are written, reviewed, approved and published. Each procedure carries a document number, revision, method (UT, RT, MT, PT, VT, ET, TOFD, PAUT, LT, AE, hardness, PMI, CR, DR and more), scope, material, applicable standard such as ASME Section V, acceptance criteria and either body text or an uploaded file. The workflow runs draft, submitted, reviewed, approved and published, with rejected and archived states and a reason recorded on rejection.

Prepared-by, reviewed-by and approved-by are recorded with dates, and approved revisions are locked against editing. Every revision is kept with a snapshot, so the version in force on any past date can be produced. Approvers receive email notifications and reminders when something is waiting for them. An AI-assisted option can produce a first draft of a new procedure, falling back to a built-in template, which a Level III then reviews and approves.

Report templates in NDT Reports are also versioned, so client report formats are controlled in the same disciplined way.

The environmental testing labs workflow

Where an environmental firm also offers NDT or asset inspection, the Atlantis NDT ERP handles that side natively: method reports, technician certification and equipment calibration. The lab side keeps its own specialist system, while quotes, crews and invoicing can run in one place.

Keep the module scope separate from sector-specific configuration. Demonstrate the required records and approval steps using a representative job before agreeing the implementation.

Records and controls to evaluate

  • Procedure register with document number, revision, method, scope, material, standard and acceptance criteria
  • Workflow: draft, submitted, reviewed, approved, published, plus rejected and archived
  • Prepared-by, reviewed-by and approved-by with dates; approved revisions locked
  • Rejection with a recorded reason
  • Full revision history with a snapshot of each revision
  • AI-assisted first draft of a procedure, falling back to a built-in template, always reviewed by a Level III
  • Email notifications and reminders to approvers for pending approvals
  • Versioned report templates (Excel, Word, PDF, HTML) in NDT Reports

Follow the work from start to finish

A new or revised procedure starts as a draft, either written from scratch, uploaded as a file or produced as an AI-assisted first draft. The author submits it, and the reviewer is notified by email. The reviewer checks scope, standard references and acceptance criteria, then passes it to the approver, usually the Level III, or rejects it with a reason. Once approved, the revision is locked and published, and the previous revision remains in the history with its snapshot.

Pending approvals generate reminders so procedures do not sit waiting. Technicians and reviewers reference the procedure on NDT reports for each job.

Check the evidence, permissions and handover

Clients and auditors expect every NDT report to reference an approved procedure revision, and ASNT SNT-TC-1A written practices put procedure approval in the hands of a Level III. The Procedures app enforces that sequence: nothing reaches published without passing review and approval, approved text cannot be quietly edited, and the history shows exactly what changed between revisions. NDT reports then capture the procedure and standard references for each job.

During the trial, ask one user to create a record and another to review it. Make a correction, check which version a customer receives, and export the final record with its references. Record any manual steps or configuration gaps in the acceptance checklist.

Software organises evidence; it does not grant personnel certification, laboratory accreditation or customer approval. Confirm the requirements that apply to your work with the responsible technical or quality manager.

Questions about document control

Can an approved procedure be edited?

No. Approved revisions are locked. Changes are made by creating a new revision, which goes through the review and approval workflow again, and the earlier revision stays in the history with its snapshot.

Does the AI write our procedures for us?

It can produce a first draft, or a built-in template if AI is unavailable. A Level III still reviews, edits and approves every procedure before it is published.

Is there a general document management system for every company document?

The Procedures app controls NDT procedures and NDT Reports controls report templates. Wider document control needs are scoped and configured during implementation.

Choose the next step

Request the 14-day ERP trial to work through a representative job. Use the integration scoping guide for external systems: a REST API connection needs an agreed data mapping, implementation and test plan.

Document Control overview · Environmental Testing Labs guide · Current plans · Discuss your workflow