A reader got in touch recently and asked for more info on document version control and how to do it.
What is version control?
The quick definition is this:
Document version control is the process of tracking and managing different versions (or drafts) of a document so you know which is the current iteration of a file.
Version control is used for lots of project management documents as well as other assets.
You’ll come it across it in other areas of your work as well, particularly in coding, where developers need to keep meticulous logs of what’s been changed and what version is the current version of the code.
In that environment it’s part of project configuration management. The main elements of configuration management aren’t that different when we’re talking specifically about documents.
I honestly thought I already had covered this topic on the blog – it’s certainly the subject of a chapter in my book, Shortcuts to Success: Project Management in the Real World .
(The chapter is only a few pages long; even I can’t spin out version control for more than that!)
Why is version control important?
Why would you want to know which is the latest version of something?
Version control is important because then you know everyone is working from the same version of a document. And you know they’ve got the latest version.
Imagine the hours lost if someone on your team was working from out of date requirements, for example.
Actually, I don’t have to imagine that situation, having been in it! It became part of lessons learned for our projects . Learn from my mistakes and keep tabs on how your files are evolving with version control.
How to get started with document version control
Configuration management has always seemed to me to be a fancy title for something that’s very easy to do.
The easiest way to version control your documents is to have your software tools do it for you.
Project management collaboration tools often have this feature baked in.
Every time you save a document back to the repository it creates a new version so you can always to back and see the changes that have been made.
How does version control work?
Version control works because the process makes sure no one is over-writing or changing the information entered into the document by someone else. In other words, someone ‘checks out’ the document and works on it.
Then other people can access and do their changes, comment on the changes already made, accept, reject and edit.
You carry on like that until you have a final version of the document that everyone can agree to.
How to do version control for documents
Some software tools have version control built in. SharePoint, for example, was a life-saver when I was using it, because it kept copies of previous versions. You could configure how many versions it kept. Then if someone messed up a version or you wanted to compare what had been changed, you could easily review a file from several iterations ago.
Google Docs has built-in version control in that you can see the revision history of your online documents.
Check the software you use — maybe it already has version control features or they could be switched on.
How to use document numbering in a version control table
If you don’t have software that can do it for you, you can control your document versions manually.
Add a version control table to the front of the document that says the version, the author, a brief summary of changes in that iteration of the document and the date.
Here’s what that the table would look like:
| Version | Date | Author | Rationale |
| 0.1 | 1 March 2017 | Nanette Bailey | First draft |
| 0.2 | 15 March 2017 | N Bailey | Review by architect |
| 0.3 | 22 March 2017 | N Bailey and F Jacobs |
Wider review by project team; section 6 updated (new dates) |
| 0.4 | 28 March 2017 | F Jacobs | Final review by all stakeholders; project team comments incorporated |
| 0.5 | 3 April 2017 | N Bailey and F Jacobs |
Final version for signature; costs updated |
| 1.0 | 14 April 2017 | F Jacobs | Issued |
| 1.1 | 27 April 2017 | N Bailey | Updated deliverables (section 5) |
Versions are 0.1, 0.2 etc until such point as the document is approved. Then it becomes version 1.0.
Subsequent edited versions become 1.1, 1.2, or if it’s a major update, 2.0.
Just like they name new iPhones, or software versions! Do not worry about the numbers going up and up. In one of my projects we’re currently on version 15 of a technical spec and you know what – it’s all fine.
You’ve got numbers to use to refer to (and dates for extra backup) so that when you are talking to your team members you can reference the version you are using or expecting them to use.
They can quickly see from the front of the document if they have the right/most current version.
Most of the document templates I use already have this table set up at the front. Once you’ve got it done, it’s easy to copy and paste the format to other documents.
It’s not the most interesting part of project management but good document version control will keep you organized!
