Version control is an important process that ensures that all modifications made to a document are tracked and saved in an organised manner. By implementing version control, users can efficiently manage different iterations of the same document. The Documents module allows individuals to review a complete history of changes and revert to previous versions, if necessary.
The benefits of version control include several key functionalities:
- Users can track changes over time, providing information about when each modification was made and identifying the person responsible for the change.
- It offers comprehensive audit trails, essential for ensuring accountability and meeting compliance requirements.
- Allows users to roll back to an earlier version of the document in case any unintended errors or issues arise.
In this article, we will concentrate of providing a step-by-step guide on how to create a new version of an existing document.
From the All Documents screen, authors or owners of documents can find the specific document they wish to manage. Once the correct document is located, they need to click on the ‘three dots’ location in the Actions column, adjacent to the document. This will open a dropdown menu from which they should choose the option labelled Manage.
Next, the user must select the Version History tab. This tab provides an overview of both the current and all previous versions of the document.
To create a new version of the document, the + New Version button should be selected, which initiates the process of creating a new iteration.
When + New Version is selected, an i-frame will be displayed on the screen. This i-frame consists of several distinct section to capture information regarding the new version.
Version Control / Version Number - Here, the document author or owner has the option to either allow the system to automatically generate the version number or switch the toggle to manually specify the version numbering.
Document Type – In this part, users may have the option to upload another PDF document, if the current document was in PDF format. Alternatively, they can select the Smart Doc option, depending on the format and requirements of the document being managed.
Document Timeline – This section allows the document author or owner to set important deadlines for this version of the document. Specifically, they can specify a Review-by Date, which indicates when the document should be reviewed for updates or validation. Additionally, they can set an Expiry Date, after which the document may no longer be considered valid or current.
Additional Information – providing a free text box where the user can enter any relevant supplementary details or useful information.
To proceed, the Save button can be selected.
Once saved, the new version of the document will be displayed in the Version History section. It will initially be marked with a Draft status, indicating that it is not yet the active version. Before this new version can replace the current one, it must first be published.
In the Version History list, a small blue dot icon is used to indicate which version of document is currently active and in use. This visual marker helps users quickly identify the live version among multiple drafts and previous versions.
Making a New Version the Current version
Once a new version of the document has been created, it can be selected from the Version History list.
Selecting the desired version from the Version History will open that specific version of the document, allowing users to view its contents and proceed with any necessary actions.
The user who is making changes can click the Edit Document button. This Action will launch the SmartDocs editor, a powerful tool designed to facilitate further updates and modifications to the document.
For detailed information regarding the capabilities and features of the SmartDocs Editor, please refer to the SmartDocs Reader and Editor article. This resource offers guidance on how to effectively use the editor tools.
It is important to highlight that if the user does not wish to publish the changes immediately, the changes can be saved and the document can be switched to back to reader mode.
However, when the user intends to proceed with publishing, once the necessary changes and modifications have been finalised, they can click on the Publish button.
Upon selectin this, an on-screen prompt will appear to confirm that the user intends to publish the document and if acceptable, the Publish Document button can be clicked to complete the process.
By doing so, the document will be set as the official active version, making is accessible and visible to all users who have the appropriate access.
By performing this action, the document will be officially marked as published, meaning it will become locked and no further edits can be made to this version.
When navigating back to the Version History page, the document just published is now set as the active version. At the same time, the previous version of the document with be indicated with a Withdrawn status.
Even though the previous versions are marked as withdrawn, they remain accessible. You can still view these older versions by clicking on them within the Version History page.
For further details on how to compare different version of documents, please refer to the SmartDocs Version Comparison article, for comprehensive guidance on this topic.
Withdrawing an active version
If the author or owner of a document needs to withdraw a published document, they can do so by first navigating to the Version History tab, within the Manage area of the document.
From there, they need to locate the specific document they want to withdraw and click on the ‘three-dot’ action icon, associated with that particular document.
A drop-down menu will appear, presenting several options. Among these options is a Withdraw option, which allows the user to initiate the process of removing the document from publication.
After choosing the Withdraw option, an on-screen prompt will be displayed. This prompt advises that proceeding with the withdrawal, the document will be removed from circulation and consequently, it will not longer be visible or accessible to authorised users.
To finalise this action, the user must select the Withdraw Published Document button presented within the prompt. Once this button is clicked, the status of the document will be updated to Withdrawn and indicating that it is no longer an active published document.
Republishing a Withdrawn Document
If the author or owner of a document needs to Republish a document that has previously been withdrawn, they can do so from the Version History tab.
From there, they need to locate the document they want to Republish and click on the ‘three-dot’ action icon, associated with that particular document.
The drop-down menu will appear, offering several options, including Republish. Selecting this allows the user to initiate the process of republishing the withdrawn document, thereby making it available again.
After choosing the Republish option, an on-screen prompt will be displayed. This prompt asks the user to select and confirm one of two options:
Republish Without Redistribution – Makes the document visible again, however, it will not send any notification to the readers, nor will it reassign the document to any users. Essentially, the document becomes accessible without triggering any alerts.
Republish and Distribute – Republishes the document and simultaneously distributes to all the users who have been assigned to receive it.
After the user decides which option is best suits the requirements, they can confirm by selecting the Continue button.
As a result, the selected version will be updated to a Published status and at the same time, any other version of the document will automatically have their status changed to Withdrawn.
Other Useful Actions for Version History:
Within the Version History tab, users have the access to additional functionalities through the Actions button. By clicking the ‘three-dot’ action icon for a specific document version, a drop-down menu appears, presenting several options:
Edit Attributes – enables users to view and modify details relating to the specific version of the document. This includes editing the version number, changing the file name, updating the review by or expiry dates and adding a custom description.
Sync – Synchronizes the distribution settings for the document version. When selected, it updates the settings to reflect any recent changes made to conditions or role assignments.