This guide will show you the most common steps organisations take when initially setting up NovaCore Compliance and Document Management.
Step 1. – Logging In
Log in to you NovaCore or 
system using the credentials provided to you by NovaCore or your organisation's administrator. If you have not received a login please contact your system administrator or a member of the NovaCore help-desk.
Step 2. – Creating Users and Assigning Permissions
Once logged in, set up all the users who will have access to your system. These can include full content-controller type users and read-only users who access select documents through the read-only document portal. Learn how to assign permissions and create users under Manage Users & Groups. It is best to then distribute the usernames and passwords to the relevant staff so they can aid you in the importing and document controlling process if need be. If you are a user, you will have to contact the NovaCore support team to create more content-controller users, also known as management users, for your cloud system but you will have the ability to create read-only users if you have read-only user licenses enabled.
Step 3. – Creating a Template
Creating a template is a great place to start after users are created. Navigate to the “Tools/Config” tab and then choose “Template Manager”. Once you have created your template, it can be applied to all documents that you choose to import into the system, giving all your documents the same style and same version control information. See the chapter on Templates to learn more about how to do this.
Step 4. – Importing Documents
Once your template is created, import your documents to the Document Management System (DMS) or Compliance Management System (CMS) frameworks. See Import External Documents to learn how to do that. During the import process, you can apply your template to all the MS Word documents that you have imported and place them in their relevant classifications in the CMS or in their relevant folders in the DMS.
Step 5 – Editing Documents
When the documents have been imported, it is best practice to open each document and make sure that the formatting of the document is correct as applying the template may cause the documents' formatting to shift slightly and you may need to correct it. This is due to documents having many variables including different margins and line spacing options. It is also helpful to double-check the content of each document to make sure it is correct and no further edits are needed. A detailed overview on how to edit documents is available in Editing Documents. Only when a document is complete should it be approved. A document can be saved multiple times before it is approved but only the completed document should be approved by the relevant document approver and therefore when you are finished editing a document select "Save as Complete" instead of just "Save" or "Approve". In doing so the relevant document approver will be notified via email that the document is ready and awaiting their approval.
Step 6. – Linking Documents to Frameworks
Once all documents are edited and you are happy that the content is correct, you can start linking documents to their relevant framework standards. Documents do not have to be approved in order for you to link them to a standard but the traffic light will not reflect a “Green” light until the document is approved. You can learn more about linking documents to standards and how the Traffic Light System works go to Framework Traffic Light System.
Step 7. – Familiarising Yourself with NovaCore
Once you have established the basics, take a tour of NovaCore by selecting each of the tabs at the top and viewing the vast amount of options and features that are available. Different views, features and tools can be applied to make your document controlling experience much easier. This includes detailed reporting in both the CMS and DMS frameworks. Familiarising yourself with the training videos available at youtube.com/novacoresystems and reading the in depth user’s manual will assist you in seeing all the features that NovaCore has to offer when it comes to document control and compliance management. Press F1 to access this help manual at any time while using the NovaCore software.
Step 8. – Setting up the Document Management System (DMS ONLY)
Not all organisations use the Document Management System (DMS) but if you have the DMS installed, the next step is to create a detailed folder structure and then import all of your documentation into the DMS that you deem to be relevant. The DMS is a repository for storing all of the documents within your organisation whether they are compliance related or not. Its purpose is to make it easy to manage and control documents such as training materials, assessments, finance materials, archives etc. You can learn more about how to use and setup the DMS under the DMS topic.
Step 9. – Generating Reports
Taking full advantage of all the reports is a must when you have your CMS and DMS populated with various documents. Reporting on frameworks, folder structures, document history and revision history is very important. Learn more about reporting under Reports.
Final Step – Referring Back and FAQ
When using NovaCore it may take time to uncover all the things it can do for you in regards to compliance management and document control. It is best to constantly refer back to the user manual for updates and tips on using different parts of the system and to watch the training series on YouTube. One of the most valuable help tools offered is the NovaCore FAQ where you can submit questions that will be answered by our help-desk staff and then added to the FAQ for future reference. You can also navigate your way through some of the questions most commonly asked by our clients and get answers quickly and efficiently. To learn more head to faq.novacore.com.au
Lastly, remember to press F1 to view detailed context sensitive help at any time.
