Managing versions and revisions

Using the Documents module and the Documents section of the Projects module, you might have already noticed a number next to the file title that shows the number of file versions. This guide describes file versions and revisions in more detail.

Quick Start

After creating or uploading your file to the Documents module, it will be displayed in the folder you opened before. When you edit and save it for the first time, the file gets the version number ver.1. If you click the version number, you will see the list of the file versions and revisions.

The file versions include revisions, i.e., minor changes to a file. Every time you change and save the file, a new revision is created.

Version is a major change, and it includes all the file revisions for a specific period of time. Every editing session is considered a new file version, i.e., a new file version is automatically created and displayed in the version history when the editing session ends. An editing session ends when a user closes the file, or when all users who are editing the file simultaneously close it, and the delay time of about 10 seconds passes.

When uploading files, you can set options that affect the file version.

If the file with the same name already exists in the folder, a copy of the file will be created by default. If you want to update the version of the existing file, click the Common Settings link from the Settings list in the left-side panel and enable the Update the file version for the existing file with the same name toggle.

If you upload a file of a format that differs from the Office Open XML format, the conversion will occur, and a notification window will appear where you can select whether you want to save both files: a file in its original format and a file in the Office Open XML format. If the Save the file copy in the original format as well checkbox is not selected, the converted file will be placed as a new revision of the original file rather than as a new separate file. These parameters will be applied to all the files uploaded afterwards. It is also possible to enable or disable the Save the file copy in the original format as well option in the Common Settings of the Documents module.

Manage intermediate revisions

The Storing file versions section of the Documents module Settings allows you to adjust the parameters for storing intermediate revisions:

By default, each new intermediate revision replaces the previous one in the version history. A full-access administrator or the Documents module administrator can enable the Keep all saved intermediate versions toggle in the Admin Settings section to make it possible for the portal users to store all intermediate revisions. If intermediate revisions are saved automatically, they always replace previous ones, whether the Keep all saved intermediate versions option is enabled or not.
If the administrator enables the option to store all intermediate revisions, each user can enable the Keep intermediate versions when editing option in the Common Settings section within their account. When this option is enabled, every time the user saves the file by using the Ctrl+S key combination or by using the Save icon in the editor interface, a new intermediate revision is created and displayed in the version history.

Manage versions

You can group multiple revisions in a version. To do that, hover the mouse cursor over the revision you need and click the Mark as version icon icon. All the earlier file revisions as well as the selected one will be grouped in a version. The number of revisions in a version will be indicated as follows: . When you group revisions in a version, the number of versions displayed next to the file title will be updated.

You can not only Download any version or revision but also Preview it or Enter a comment using the corresponding icon, which appears when you hover the mouse cursor over the version or revision you need.

Restore previous versions

It might happen that the document you created and shared with multiple colleagues was edited by one of them, and you want to recover one of its previous revisions or versions. To do that, follow the steps below:

Sign in to your portal using your login details.
Click the Documents link on the start page.
Open the folder containing the file whose revision or version you want to restore.
Click the version icon next to the corresponding file. You will see the Version history list.
Find the file revision or version you want to restore using its creation date, time, or author. If you are not sure, you can also preview a specific revision or version by hovering your mouse cursor over it and clicking the icon.
When you click this icon, the online editor window will open in a new browser tab with the Version History panel activated. The changes made by the author of the selected version/revision will be marked with the corresponding color in the document text.
Click the Restore link.

After that, the selected file revision or version will be restored.

Additional Information

Previewing the current version of a document, spreadsheet, or presentation

If you want to preview a file, click the Actions icon icon and select the Preview option.

Undoing the Mark as version action

If you want to undo the Mark as version action, hover the mouse cursor over the version you need and click the Mark as revision icon icon.

Editing the current version of a document, spreadsheet, or presentation

By clicking the Edit icon icon next to a file within the Documents module or the Documents section of the Projects module, you can edit it using the Document Editor and save the changes you made directly on your portal. The Colored Pencil Plus icon icon next to a document title means that you can edit this document simultaneously with other portal users.

Getting notified about updates to a shared file

First, you will be informed about it via the Feed tool. Second, you will see a new icon next to the updated file.