The right document, the current version.

Organize manuals, procedures and forms, and track their approval and distribution. See which version is current and who has acknowledged it.

Written by: Faromo · Product and maritime domain teamReviewed by: Faromo · Technical and regulatory reviewLast reviewed:

Turn a shared folder into a controlled document system.

A procedure being present in a folder does not prove that the correct version is in use. Author, approver, effective date and vessel distribution must remain traceable.

Faromo separates draft, review, approval, effective and archive states. It creates distribution lists by vessel and role and records acknowledgements in the audit trail.

Scope and core capabilities

Version control

Store each revision with number, date, change summary and previous-version link.

Review and approval

Define author, reviewer and approver roles by document type.

Effective-date control

Make approved documents effective on a defined date and archive older versions in a controlled way.

Vessel distribution

Target documents to the relevant vessel, department or role.

Acknowledgement

Record who acknowledged which version and when.

Form and record linkage

Link procedures to related forms, checklists, audits or actions.

Workflow

  1. Create draft: Document information, owner and change scope are recorded.
  2. Review and approve: Authorized roles evaluate content and revision.
  3. Distribute and activate: The correct version is released to target vessels and roles.
  4. Preserve acknowledgement: Acknowledgements and later revision history are retained.

Operational outcomes

  • Reduce the risk of outdated procedures onboard.
  • Show approval and distribution history quickly during audits.
  • Make document ownership and revision schedules visible.
  • Connect a procedure to the operational records it produces.

Product evidence

Version, distribution and read acknowledgement

The current version, change history, vessel distribution and user acknowledgement remain on the same controlled record.

Frequently asked questions

Are old document versions deleted?

No. Older versions are archived in a controlled way and their effective periods are retained.

Can acknowledgement be mandatory?

Acknowledgement can be required by document type, vessel or role, with overdue acknowledgements tracked.

Can an SMS manual be managed by section?

A document hierarchy can link manuals, procedures, instructions and forms as separate controlled records.

Can vessels access documents offline?

Effective documents distributed to a vessel can remain available locally, with new versions synced when connectivity returns.

Primary sources