Controlled Documents

Controlled Document Features

  • Access to create Controlled Documents is controlled by an administrative capability. System Administrators and those with the “Manage Capabilities” role can assign or revoke the “Manage Controlled Documents” capability. Capabilities can be accessed through the toolbar at the top of the CERF window by selecting Sessions > Manage Capabilities.
  • You can create a controlled document placeholder in a notebook page or a notebook page template. The placeholder can be used to ensure that anyone utilizing the page or page template must provide a relevant, current and active controlled document that the user has access to and which they have agreed to abide by. Additionally, this notebook page cannot be signed until the proper controlled document is in its place. Please refer to the Placeholders documentation for further information on this use.
  • When creating a controlled document, you can add a user or a group of users to a workgroup once they have viewed and accepted the controlled document. This allows employers to give employees access to a group of documents/protocols that they cannot have access to before the controlled document is accepted. Please refer to Initiating Controlled Documents for more details.
  • Each controlled document has a “save history” button at the bottom of the info bar. This button will export a text document to your computer which will contain each user that has accepted/rejected the controlled document as well as each usage within CERF.

Currently there are two Types of Controlled Documents – SOPs and Business Contracts. SOPs are further classified as either Protocols or Assays, while Business Contracts are classified as Purchase Orders or NDAs. The System Administrator can configure the Types, Classifications and attributes that determine properties such as whether controlled documents can expire and be renewed. Business policies (also configurable by the System Administrator) determine such actions as whether you will receive a CERF notification warning you before a controlled document expires.

One of the first responsibilities of the System Administrator is giving access of controlled documents to managers or executives. This can be accomplished from the CERF application, by selecting Sessions > Manage Capabilities and then selecting the user(s) and granting the capability.

Business Policies:

  1. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_ACTION_LAG_TIME_IN_MINS: A user will not be able to mark a controlled document until it has been opened (i.e., viewed) for the indicated time period. If this policy is edited, the user will have to restart the client to see the changes.
  2. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_MANAGER_NOTIFICATIONS_WARNING_DAYS: Number of days before a Controlled Document expires that a warning notification is sent is sent to the Manager.
  3. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_SEND_MANAGER_SUMMARY_NOTIFICATIONS: Determines whether Controlled Documents manager is sent summary notifications.
  4. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_SEND_MANAGER_WARNING_NOTIFICATIONS: Determines whether Controlled Documents manager is sent warning notifications.
  5. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_SEND_USER_WARNING_NOTIFICATIONS: Determines whether users will receive warning Notifications that they need to mark a Controlled Document or that a Controlled Document will expire soon.
  6. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_STATUS_MONITOR_SCHEDULER_START_HOUR: At the set hour (24-hr-clock) the CERF server starts checking the Controlled Document status (i.e., for expiry).
  7. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_STATUS_MONITOR_SCHEDULER_START_MIN: At the set min the CERF server checks the Controlled Document status (i.e., for expiry).
  8. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_USER_NOTIFICATIONS_EXPIRY_DAYS: Number of days the User has to mark an assigned Controlled Document once it has been assigned. The User “action” will expire after this time.
  9. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_USER_NOTIFICATIONS_WARNING_DAYS: Number of days before the User action expires that a User who has not marked the document will receive a warning.
  10. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_USER_NOTIFICATION_SCHEDULER_START_HOUR: At the set hour (24-hr-clock) the CERF server starts checking User actions (i.e., agree, disagree, no action) on assigned Controlled Documents.
  11. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_USER_NOTIFICATION_SCHEDULER_START_MIN: At the set min the CERF server starts checking User actions (i.e., agree, disagree, no action) on assigned Controlled Documents.
  12. CONTROLLED_DOCUMENTS_WORKFLOW_ALLOWED: Determines whether the Controlled Documents workflow is enabled.

Sections in this Topic

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Last modified: November 25, 2025 at 9:35 pm by Lab-Ally LLC