Files
& Folders

Handling a "work in progress" and "final release" document

We were recently asked the following question by one of our customers:

"I can see that even though a document is checked out, one can still download the original (prior to check out) document, which is exactly what we want. However, I noticed that if, for example, I check out the document and check it back in so that the next person in the revision process can review and edit the document, the document with my revisions becomes the current document that will be downloaded by staff for use. Is there any way to keep the original (prior to check out) document on Docmoto so that our staff can still download the original document while we are checking it in and out due to a revision that is taking place with multiple people? As a side note, our document revision process usually involves 3-4 people for weeks at time until the document becomes final, so such a process will happen all the time."

The simplest and most effective method is to invoke a process something like this:

1. Create two folders, "Final Releases" and "Work in Progress".
2. Copy the document into each.
3. Now checkout the document in "Final Releases" to yourself. This effectively locks it and signals to any other potential modifiers that this document is being changed, but they are still able to download the file to view it. (You will do nothing further with this version).
4. Now go the "Work in Progress" folder. You and your colleagues can work on this document and this is the document that modifies during your revision process period.

Releasing the document:

When you are finally happy to release your document.

1. Download the document (using "Download File") from "Work in Progress" (if any application opens to view the file, just close it).
2. With the downloaded file still highlighted in DocMoto select the menu option "Show in Finder".
3. From the Finder window now drag the downloaded file into the "Final Releases" folder.
4. Your new final version will be added to all the previous final versions and the check out will be automatically removed.

This procedure in practice takes seconds and is very simple to execute.

The revision history of the "release" will be all the fully released documents, the version history of the "work in progress" will be the complete history of every change to that document.