DOCUMENTATION STRUCTURING & EVIDENCE TRACEABILITY · Aero Support Group FZCO · Updated 22 October 2026
From requirement to procedure to record
Traceability has three links:
- Requirement to procedure. Each applicable requirement, whether a regulation paragraph, an ISM or GOSM provision or a customer requirement, points to the specific procedure that addresses it. A reference to a whole manual or chapter does not count; the IATA Operational Portal guidance says the same for ISAGO.
- Procedure to record. Each procedure states which form, log or system entry it produces. That form is controlled, numbered and listed in a forms register.
- Record to retrieval. Records are stored so they can be found by requirement, by date and by person, and kept for the period the rules require.
When any link is missing, the auditor sees a procedure with no evidence, or evidence with no procedure, and writes a finding.
The tools we build
- Compliance matrix: one row per requirement, with applicability, the procedure reference, the owner and the evidence expected. For IOSA it follows the ISM section and provision numbering; for EASA, the regulation and AMC points; for ISAGO, the GOSARPs and the Operational Portal provisions.
- Forms and records register: every controlled form with its number, owner, the procedure that requires it, the retention period and where completed records are kept.
- Procedure template: a standard layout with purpose, scope, responsibilities, steps, records produced and the requirements addressed.
- Evidence index: for audits, a list of the evidence the auditor is likely to request, with its location.
Where documentation fails audits
- Manuals cite regulations at chapter level, so no one can show which procedure meets which requirement.
- Procedures refer to forms that do not exist, have been replaced or are not controlled.
- The same activity is described differently in two manuals.
- Records are kept in personal folders and email, and cannot be retrieved when the auditor asks.
- After an edition change, the compliance matrix still maps to the old numbering.
- Documents are revised but the people who use them are not told what changed.
How ASG structures documentation
1. Requirement baseline. We list the applicable requirements at the current editions and agree applicability.
2. Mapping. We map each requirement to the procedure that addresses it and flag gaps and duplicates.
3. Forms and records. We build the forms register and link each form to its procedure.
4. Restructuring. Where needed, we reorganise manuals so that each activity is described once, in the right place, with cross-references instead of copies.
5. Retrieval. We design a folder or system structure, on SharePoint or the organisation’s document system, so records can be found quickly.
6. Handover. We train the document control team to keep the matrix and registers current after each amendment.
Conclusion
Good documentation lets an organisation answer the auditor’s question in minutes. It also makes compliance monitoring easier, because every requirement has an owner, a procedure and a record. ASG builds that structure and leaves the organisation able to maintain it.
Frequently asked questions
A table that maps each applicable requirement to the procedure that addresses it, the owner and the evidence expected. It is used to prepare for audits and to check the impact of changes.
Because a chapter reference does not show which procedure meets the requirement. IATA’s guidance for the ISAGO Operational Portal gap analysis says this explicitly, and other auditors apply the same logic.
A controlled list of every form or record template, with its number, owner, the procedure that requires it, the retention period and where completed records are stored.
Not necessarily. A well-structured folder system with clear naming and access control can work for smaller organisations. Larger organisations benefit from version control and search in a dedicated system.
Yes. Most engagements map and restructure existing documentation rather than replacing it.
Key takeaways
- Traceability runs from requirement to procedure to record
- Chapter-level references are not enough for auditors
- Every procedure should name the form or record it produces
- Retention periods come from the applicable regulation for each record
- The matrix must be updated when standards change edition
Is your documentation audit-ready?
Tell us which standards apply and how your manuals are organised. ASG will propose a mapping and restructuring plan.