Design changes are normal in a hotel project. Uncontrolled changes are not. A finish adjustment made in an email can affect material purchasing, shop drawings, prototype approval, packing labels and the delivery sequence. Revision control gives the buyer and factory one visible record of what changed, who approved it and which production items are affected.
Create a single revision register
Give every drawing, finish board, sample photo and specification sheet a document number and revision. The register should include the date, change description, author, approval status and affected item codes. “Latest file” is not a sufficient control because local downloads and forwarded attachments quickly become different versions.
| Field | Recommended entry |
|---|---|
| Document ID | Item code plus document type, such as chair-0904-shop-drawing. |
| Revision | Sequential revision or date-based code used consistently. |
| Change summary | Plain-language description of the changed dimension, finish or function. |
| Approval gate | Draft, for review, approved for sample, approved for production or superseded. |
Separate design approval from production release
A drawing can be approved for discussion without being released for production. Use clear gates: concept review, quotation basis, sample approval and production release. At each gate, confirm dimensions, materials, finish, hardware, quantity and any compliance scope. If a buyer approves a change after purchasing has started, record whether existing stock is usable or must be quarantined.
Make changes traceable in the factory
When a revision is released, the factory should update the controlled production pack, remove superseded copies from workstations and brief the relevant departments. The inspection team should receive the same revision so it does not inspect a new item against an old sample. A simple sign-off sheet or digital acknowledgement is often enough to prove the handoff.
Protect price and schedule decisions
Every material change should be classified as no-cost, cost impact, lead-time impact or both. Ask for a revised quotation and delivery effect before approval. This prevents the common dispute where a buyer assumes a change is cosmetic while the factory has already reordered material or reworked tooling.
Expertise note: Revision control is most effective when it is simple enough for design, purchasing, production and inspection teams to use every day. The agreed register should sit alongside the quality and packing plan.