Review and Approve Documents ISO 9001 compliant with Microsoft 365

Organizations store records, documents, and minutes in Microsoft 365. The requirements for quality management systems – ISO 9001 can be met with a Microsoft 365 Business subscription: if it is appropriate for your company to review and approve documented procedures, simply configure approvals for the document library

Since the quality management standard – like Microsoft 365 – is aimed at companies of all sizes, ISO 9001 allows companies to decide for themselves what is appropriate and suitable for their documented information ^[1]. The four-eyes principle is widely used for review: often a qualified colleague is asked, e.g. to review a work instruction. SharePoint document libraries (included with Microsoft 365 Business) also support required feedback from multiple approvers.

Approved documents appear read-only in Microsoft Word. Once approved, Word documents are marked as final and appear read-only in Microsoft Word for the Web and in Word Desktop App.

If you edit the document anyway, the status is removed, and the approval is reset in the Approval status column of the document library.

Here are some recommendations to keep in mind when using approvals for documents in SharePoint Online:

Communicating Approval Requests with Microsoft Teams

Approvals in SharePoint document libraries are controlled by Power Automate (an app included with Microsoft 365 Business). Employees are notified of requested approvals in Microsoft Teams. Make sure requesters and approvers are using Microsoft Teams!

Approval and Content Approval in SharePoint Document Libraries

When you configure approvals for documents, content approval is disabled and hidden in the more library settings. Documentation that has not yet been reviewed – not marked as final – can be read. Check the privacy settings of your SharePoint site!

Configure Approvals for Documents

Microsoft is expected to have completed the rollout of document library approvals in SharePoint by the end of March 2025 ^[2]. You will learn how, and for which document libraries you configure approvals for the retention of documented information, and which privacy setting is recommended, with the next update in February, 2025:

Links

• 1: ASQ/ANSI/ISO 9001:2015 - Quality management systems - Requirements, or ASQ/ANSI/ISO 9001:2015: Quality management systems - Requirements (e-standard) | ASQ “When creating and updating documented information, the organization shall ensure appropriate review and approval for suitability and adequacy.” (ISO 9001:2025, Clause 7.5.2 c)
• 2: Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365 SharePoint: Approvals integration in Document Libraries
• 3: Approvals in Lists & Document Libraries - Microsoft Support