Controlled Document

Any document whose content, revision history, and approval status are formally managed so that only the current approved version is used in production or submitted in regulatory filings.

Why it matters

Controlled documents are the evidentiary backbone of quality audits. In PLM, documents become controlled by linking them to part revisions and routing them through approval workflows that produce a timestamped electronic signature trail.

Cite this definition

Finocchiaro, Michael. “Controlled Document.” DemystifyingPLM PLM Glossary, 2026, https://www.demystifyingplm.com/glossary/controlled-document