How to tastefully indicate authorship on a corporate document.

May 21, 2013 8:06 AM

I have this problem, and I know it isn't rare. I on occasion produce excellent training materials where a knowledge vacuum exists, and as managers and power structures change within my department the memory of my past work gets forgotten almost constantly. Because I'm not really very good at the schmoozing with the new bosses’ game, I never get into the loop for new projects or initiatives where I would shine based on prior work. That’s a preface to a lot of different questions, but mostly, I'm asking an aesthetic question here, and I’m not talking about ownership of materials or anything like that. These are informal documents, but legitimately useful, and not my main job function. Basically, when they get circulated here and there... I would greatly benefit from managers and other colleagues knowing just who put this awesome thing all together. How do I do this correctly, and in a tasteful manner... i.e., basically, not put "By Me" on a coversheet in big letters, or not in a manner that would make most roll their eyes. Just some subtle recognition of authorship within the document. If you have another moment to think, some book recommendations on climbing the corporate latter in an ethical way, (based on competency, the best way to climb), in the face of the usual BS that many of us need to deal with. I enjoy my field... thats why I'm asking this, and not just finding something else to do.
posted by shimmer to Work & Money (19 answers total)

Best answer: A revisions chart in the doc, with your email as an indicator as "change initiated on this version by".

On the top page, under a note specifying "for internal distribution only" have a line "for more information, contact [e-mail] or ext 2132".

I've done this for internal documentation, and I make sure to have on internal and external docs "Please send corrections or questions to [e-mail]".
posted by tilde at 8:09 AM on May 21, 2013 [13 favorites]

If they are informal, maybe a line such as, "If you have any questions or comments, please contact the shimmer at extension 1234 or by email [e-mail]"

(On preview, what tilde said.)
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:12 AM on May 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

A footer on the document with the title and your initials or name if you work for a large comapany) plus the date of origination/last edited date. If it's a powerpoint presentation, your name and date on the first slide (small and on the bottom).
posted by Safiya at 8:12 AM on May 21, 2013 [3 favorites]

Yeah, the traditional way to indicate authorship in this setting is to put your contact information in as the person to reach if someone has questions, or if they need to request the most recent version.
posted by Andrhia at 8:17 AM on May 21, 2013

We always have Document History table on the coverage that includes other document meta information such as the title, doc ID if applicable, keywords etc. This is a simple table that includes the date of the draft/revision, the name of the person doing the work, and a brief description of the history. So the initial draft would say something like "Draft created" and subsequent rows would say things like, "Updated to include change to process xyz." etc.
posted by Kimberly at 8:44 AM on May 21, 2013

In addition to the excellent suggestions above, you could also incorporate your name or email in the file name: shimmer_WidgetTrainingFeb2013.ppt
posted by monotreme at 8:50 AM on May 21, 2013

Nthing sending out an updated version.

Also, if you want to use these documents to showcase your abilities with an eye towards promotion, put together a portfolio of work that you've done for when you interview/ask for the promotion. I gave my boss a couple of (very, very clean) writing samples at my interview for my current job and she didn't seem to think it odd or out of line.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 8:55 AM on May 21, 2013

I like the footer idea, if mostly because documents tend to get broken up or have just one piece copied and re-used. It's also useful if you want to know if Department X is using an old version of that one page in their manual.
posted by emjaybee at 9:13 AM on May 21, 2013 [2 favorites]

In addition to the excellent suggestions above, put your name in the metadata of the file as well.
posted by evoque at 9:20 AM on May 21, 2013

At my company, it's generally recognized that you put your employee ID in the footer of anything you would wish to claim. (Everything runs off employee id, because I'm at a large company and there are a lot of names that are or sound similar).

(It becomes interesting when an entire project's worth of documentation has no employee ID associated. It's an implied dis-association from the project, much like someone putting Alan Smithee as the director of a movie.)
posted by RogueTech at 9:28 AM on May 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Seconding a small footer with the date and your name.
posted by desuetude at 9:28 AM on May 21, 2013

Don't think of putting your name/contact info on this as any form of self-promotion, it is simply a matter of who the reader should contact if they need to follow up on it for any reason.
posted by Dragonness at 9:29 AM on May 21, 2013

You can archive your documents on SharePoint or your Intranet, then send out a notification to all and sundry letting them know that the documents are in such-and-such a place.

Of course, you'll update the documents with your name and contact info in the footers, and you'll do a bit of an intro on the SharePoint page that lets people know when the latest updates were done, or if there are new things they should be aware of.

You can even do a little blog with your insight as to how the documents can best be used.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:59 AM on May 21, 2013

I always tell my employees to use a memo template for these things, and to put their own name in the from field.
posted by OrangeDisk at 10:08 AM on May 21, 2013

The contact thing won't work if you leave the company or change roles because then the document will just be updated with the new contact and there goes your legacy. Better would be to have a box on the title page that states author (your name) reviewer (bosses name) approver (bosses bosses name). Then make sure to get the document reviewed and approved, collecting kudos as you do.
posted by hazyjane at 10:43 AM on May 21, 2013

If you use Word or Powerpoint, go to Options, and make sure your name and department are accurate. You could even edit the default template (normal.dot) to add your email address in the document properties. MeMail me if you want details.

As far as being shy about promoting yourself, I recommend working on getting to know managers and project leaders and staff in your department and company. It's not just self-promotion, it's being a responsible employee to make it clear that you have useful skills that your company needs. When you have your annual review, bring a lot of your work, and make sure your supervisor knows that you're good at it and like it.
posted by theora55 at 2:20 PM on May 21, 2013

The revision chart (as marked as an answer) is a great thing. I would suggest you use this not only for your documents, but help edit templates to incorporate this into a standard model for documents for everyone in your org to use.

It can be pretty frustrating when someone comes across a seemingly important document, but you don't know who authored it, or when. It makes it hard to revisit assumptions or ask follow-up questions.

For some document types (internal processes, for example) adding the 'approved by' can be a useful thing as well (again, not for tooting your own horn, but making it clear that there is management buy-in and approval for the process change).
posted by el io at 2:46 PM on May 21, 2013

I always put my name in the metadata of my files, and the first thing I do when I get a file from someone of whose expertise I'm suspicious is to check the metadata.

You'd be amazed how many people 'borrow' their coworkers' work, claim all the credit, but don't realize the actual author of their work is immediately obvious the moment anyone looks at the author's name in the file. I don't confront anyone about it, but it gives me an idea about their character if they're not up-front about the author's identity of files they are sharing. In some cases, I reach out to the original author if I have questions if they're still involved in the process, and I make sure to correctly reference the author when discussing the document.

I also have a portfolio which I keep updated with all the best reports and documents I create for interviewing. I don't know why more people don't do it - I invariably get delighted compliments on my preparedness and forethought when I have samples of my work in those types of situations.
posted by winna at 7:09 PM on May 21, 2013

I always put my name in the metadata of my files, and the first thing I do when I get a file from someone of whose expertise I'm suspicious is to check the metadata.

Just a note, this isn't 100% ... Even when I change the "author" information in Word docs, it gets changed back to a guy who left us years ago & claims that guy works for Microsoft.

Word & I are not the best of friends.
posted by tilde at 7:13 PM on May 21, 2013