BRIX supports document version control. You can track the change history, restore previous versions, and edit documents without any risks of losing the original text.
Version statuses
Each document version is assigned one of the following statuses:
- Current. The active version that all users see when they open the document. You can send this version for approval or review.
- Draft. A version saved for further work. When you edit a draft, your changes are saved to the same document. Once the draft is ready, you can make it the current version.
- Outdated. A version replaced by a new version. A document version becomes outdated when you edit the current version or add a new one.
- Deleted. A version moved to the list of deleted versions. You can restore it or delete it permanently.
Each version has its own number, which remains unchanged regardless of its status.
Version control features
Using version control, you can:
- Add new versions: upload documents from your computer to replace the current version.
- Create drafts: upload documents from your computer as a draft of a new document or a new version of an existing document. You can then edit the draft in the system and make it the current version. For more information, see the article about document drafts.
- Compare versions: visually compare changes between any two versions of a document in .doc or .docx format. This requires integration with a file viewing and editing service.
- Restore previous versions: make an outdated version the current version if unwanted changes have been made to the document.
- Edit outdated versions: convert an outdated version into a draft so you can edit it before publishing without creating unnecessary intermediate copies.
View document versions
Added versions are displayed in the Document Versions widget on the side panel of the view form. You can view the list of versions, compare them, and replace the current document version with a previous one.
Only users with permission to edit the app item can add a new version.
Important: in the widget settings for adding document versions, the system administrator can disable the addition of new versions entirely or restrict it under certain conditions. For more information, see Document versions.
Add a version
There are several ways to add a new version:
- Click on the
button at the top of the document page and upload the new version of the file. If necessary, specify what changes were made in the Comment field.
With this method, you can add a version as a draft that you can edit, and then make it the current version for further collaboration on the document. To do this, turn off the Set the new version as the current one option. - Click the Edit button on the document page and modify the file attached to the document.
- Make changes to the document in a business process by using a script. In this case, the new version will be generated automatically.
- For .doc or .docx files, the system administrator can allow you to add a new version when you compare two versions.
Information about all added document versions is displayed on the sidebar of the app item.
List of versions and available actions
To view the full list of versions, click the All Versions link. In the window that opens, versions are organized into tabs: All, Current, Outdated, Drafts, and Deleted.
Depending on the version status, the following actions are available:
- Open a version in view mode by clicking its name.
- Download a version to your computer by clicking the
icon next to it. - Print a version by clicking the
icon. If watermark printing is enabled for an app, the watermark will appear in the document. - Delete an outdated version or draft by clicking the trash icon. The version will move to the Deleted tab. Version numbers will not change.
- Make an outdated version or draft current by clicking Make Current. The version will move to the Current tab. Version numbers will not change.
Note that the Make Current button is not displayed if the administrator has forbidden to edit the current version in the settings of the Document Versions widget. - Compare versions. The option is available for .doc and .docx files.
- Move an outdated version to the list of drafts so you can edit it without creating a new version. The version number remains unchanged.
On the Deleted tab, you can:
- Move a version to the list of outdated versions or drafts by clicking Restore. This will allow you to download it to your computer, compare it with other versions, etc.
- Delete a version permanently by clicking the trash can icon next to it.
- Permanently delete all versions on the tab by clicking Delete All at the bottom of the window.
View a document version
On the version view page, you can read its contents.
Please note that you cannot view a version from the Deleted tab. To view its contents, restore the version first.
The buttons on the bottom panel of the view form allow you to:
- Edit the current or outdated version, as well as a draft.
- Make a outdated version or draft current.
- Compare any versions except deleted versions.
- Move a version to the list of deleted versions.
You can also download a version of the document to your computer, print it, or copy the document preview link to your clipboard. To do this, use the icons in the upper right corner of the page.
Please note that only users with view permissions can open the document preview page via the link.
The sidebar displays the associated activity stream of the version. Here you can chat, share files, mention users, react to messages, and add them to Favorites.
Please note that messages will only appear on the version you're viewing. They won't be added to the activity stream of the document.
Compare versions
начало внимание
Version comparison is only available for .doc and .docx format files, it also requires an integration with a file viewing and editing service that allows document comparison.
конец внимание
If a Document app item contains a .doc or .docx file, you can:
- Compare the current version with one of the older versions or with a newly uploaded file.
- Compare any two versions of the file.
The result will be shown in a new window.
Compare the current version
On the sidebar of the view page, click Compare and select one of the options:
- With File. Upload a file of the same format and click Compare.
- With Version. Select a file version added before, and click Compare.
Compare any two versions
On the sidebar of an item view page, click All Versions. On the All, Current, Outdated, or Drafts tab, click the Compare button below the document name and select the version number for comparison. You can only compare versions of the same format.
Comparison results
The comparison result document is shown in a separate window. All changes are highlighted. For details, hover over the highlighted text.
If you have set up integration with a file viewing and editing service that allows document comparison, you can edit the document with comparison results and then save it as a new version by clicking Add Version.
The new file will become the current version. It will be displayed in the list of versions on the item’s sidebar.
Note: In the Document Versions widget settings, the system administrator can enable the Read only > Yes option. Then the Add Version button will be unavailable an users cannot add a new version of the document.