Document Obsoletion

Document obsoletion is the process of formally retiring a document from active use. InnoQualis EQMS provides a structured obsoletion workflow that requires a documented reason and offers the option to create a replacement version.

When to obsolete a document

Common reasons for obsoleting a document include:

• The document has been replaced by a newer, separate document.
• The process or procedure described is no longer performed.
• Regulatory changes have made the document no longer applicable.
• Organizational restructuring has eliminated the need for the document.

Caution

Obsoleting a document is a significant action. Once marked as obsolete, the document moves to “Obsolete” status and is no longer considered active. The document remains in the system for historical reference and audit purposes but is flagged as retired.

Obsolete a document

1. On the left sidebar, select Documents.
2. Select the document you want to obsolete.
3. On the document detail page, select Mark Obsolete in the toolbar.
4. In the Obsolete Document modal, select an action:

Action	Description
Mark as Obsolete	Retires the document without creating a new version. Use when the document is simply being retired with no replacement.
Create New Version	Creates a new version and marks the current version as obsolete. Use when the document is being superseded by an updated version.

5. In the Reason field, enter why the document is being retired.
6. Select Obsolete Document.

Validation rules

• The Reason field must contain at least one non-whitespace character.
• The Obsolete Document button is disabled until a reason is provided.
• If you submit without a reason, a “Reason is required” error message appears in the modal.

Handle a failed obsoletion

If the obsoletion fails:

1. Review the error alert within the modal.
2. Correct the issue and select Obsolete Document again. Your entered reason is preserved.
3. To cancel, select Cancel or the close button.

After obsoletion

Once a document is obsoleted:

• The document status changes to Obsolete.
• The document remains visible in the Documents list with a red “Obsolete” status badge.
• The obsoletion reason is recorded in the audit trail.
• If Create New Version was selected, a new version is created and the previous version is marked as obsolete.

Note

Obsoleted documents are retained in the system for regulatory compliance and audit purposes. They are not deleted but are clearly marked as no longer active.

Practical example: obsoleting a replaced work instruction

Scenario: Your facility has consolidated two separate cleaning work instructions (WI-CL-005 and WI-CL-006) into a single new document (WI-CL-010). The old documents must be formally retired.

1. On the left sidebar, select Documents and find WI-CL-005.
2. Open the document and select Mark Obsolete in the toolbar.
3. Select Mark as Obsolete (no new version needed since WI-CL-010 already exists).
4. In the Reason field, enter Consolidated into WI-CL-010 per Change Control CC-2026-015. Cleaning procedures for Lines 2 and 3 are now covered in a single document.
5. Select Obsolete Document.
6. Repeat the same steps for WI-CL-006 with the same reason.
7. Both documents now show a red “Obsolete” badge in the Documents list, and the obsoletion reason is recorded in each document’s audit trail for regulatory traceability.

Permissions

Action	Requirement
Obsolete a document	documents.approve permission
View obsoleted documents	All authenticated users (displayed with “Obsolete” badge)