Why Document Version Control is Necessary for your Business
As modern business continues to escalate and expand, the handling of documents for multiple employees and individuals increases. Because of this it becomes a huge necessity to be able to find some solution to track documentation. With version management tools, your business will have the capabilities to view and track records of who have been editing documents. Without these tools in place, proving that a document has been tampered with can become a challenge and with how accessible your documents will need to be, it will be easy to change documents anytime and anywhere.
In this article, we will dive deep into the details of Document Version Control as well as some potential best practices to follow to utilize these tools for the most efficient and secure outcome.
Defining Document Version Control and Its Importance
Simply put document version control allows for tracking of every change that is made to a document. It will preserve each draft done until the final version or process of the document is finished. While also doing so, each draft reveals who modified the documents at every step and at what point the editing process occurred. This becomes extremely important with files that may need lots of recurring reviews or need prominent shifting due to compliance regulations.
Additionally, document version control saves time otherwise spent looking for multiple different documents. It helps with consolidating all information to one single location, where a full list of changes can be followed and monitored. It also avoids employees accidentally sending the wrong document that wasn’t the most up to date. As when one file is updated with document version control, it updates it for everyone in the business minimizing confusion across the board.
The Best Way to use Document Version Control
Some of the best ways to utilize document version control tools is the use of a Document Management System like DocuWare. These large encompassing repositories are equipped with document version control integration that works seamlessly with other features within the system such as automated workflows. It makes the process very intuitive and easy to follow as well, by providing a clear user interface for any newcomer to pick up quickly.
Additionally, with document management systems, using version management mitigates errors because all employees will be using the latest document version. A common concern is what if multiple people are changing the file at the same time? The system has a solution to this by simply not allowing other people to change a document while it is being checked out by an individual. Removing any simultaneous conflicts in the process and keeps a linear history of changes as a result.
Best Practices for Document Version Control
Below we have listed some of the best practices that can be followed with document management systems to get the most of document version control:
Utilize Audit Logs
Using this is a necessity! As it will accurately contain all revisions and the ability to access older versions of documents. It can include version control tables that provide a record of who made the changes and on what exact date these changes took place.
Use Good Naming Conventions
Naming your documents consistently will make looking up their document version significantly easier. Using numbers at the end of the document title after each change is typically a common way to simplify the process of keeping track of these file versions.
Automate Approval Process
Take advantage of workflows to send emails to each individual you want involved in the document process. By doing this, you can control your audit logs and document version history. You should be able to expect who is editing the document at what step in the process by doing this.
Place Comments
Including notes on each process of document editing can help make searching for a version of a document significantly easier for others. It will remove the hassle of needing to open every document just to see what changes were made.
Conclusion
Document Version Control is a necessity for any business, especially as your firm begins to grow and scale. It assists in tracking your documents’ changes and identifying what changes were made by who and at what point in time. This allows for security and provides evidence to back up claims should any hiccups occur. Paired with a Document Management System, you can simplify the process of document version control further by providing an intuitive interface for users to learn quick, all while having a wealth of features such as automated workflows to seamlessly integrate with your document management.
Interested in learning more about how document version control and document based management systems can help elevate your business? Summit offers a free no obligation assessment, where our team will do a full analysis of your business environment, determining what office products and tools can work right for your company.