by Jennie Ruby
Version control problems occur when two different people make changes to two different copies of a file at the same time.
For
example, you may have Smith Revised stored in the shared network drive.
A colleague might make a copy of the file and take it home on a laptop
computer to make changes. Meanwhile, you may open the Smith Revised
file and make some changes of your own. Now there are two copies of the
same file, with the same name, with different changes in them.
Word
does have a Compare tool that allows combining the changes, but the
additional work and possible confusion are worth avoiding if you can.
Methods
for ensuring version control range from simple communication ("Hey,
everybody, I'm taking the Smith file home-don't work on it any more
until I bring it back!") to sophisticated document management systems.
for ensuring version control range from simple communication ("Hey,
everybody, I'm taking the Smith file home-don't work on it any more
until I bring it back!") to sophisticated document management systems.
Document
management systems are preprogrammed databases that allow you to "check
out" a document while you are working on it so that no one else can
make changes. Some examples of document management systems are
Microsoft's SharePoint, Xerox's Docushare, and EMC Corporation's Documentum.
management systems are preprogrammed databases that allow you to "check
out" a document while you are working on it so that no one else can
make changes. Some examples of document management systems are
Microsoft's SharePoint, Xerox's Docushare, and EMC Corporation's Documentum.
But
short of purchasing software or signing on to one of these services,
you could consider using a simple renaming system to indicate files
that are in use by someone else. Have everyone who might work on a file
agree that before copying it to a laptop or elsewhere you rename it
with the letter x in front of the name, like this: xSmith Revised. The
x indicates to everyone not to work on that file. When the person who
checked out the file copies it back to the shared drive, he or she
renames it again to remove the x.
short of purchasing software or signing on to one of these services,
you could consider using a simple renaming system to indicate files
that are in use by someone else. Have everyone who might work on a file
agree that before copying it to a laptop or elsewhere you rename it
with the letter x in front of the name, like this: xSmith Revised. The
x indicates to everyone not to work on that file. When the person who
checked out the file copies it back to the shared drive, he or she
renames it again to remove the x.
Of
course, as long as the document remains on a shared network drive, Word
will automatically prevent two people from working on it at the same
time. If you try to open a document that is already being used by
someone, you receive a message that the file is in use. You then have
the choice of working on it anyway and having Word Merge the changes
when the document becomes available or looking at a read-only copy. It
is also possible to open a read-only copy and resave the file with a
different name in order to make changes, but if you did that, you would
be deliberately causing version control problems. So of course you
wouldn't do that.
course, as long as the document remains on a shared network drive, Word
will automatically prevent two people from working on it at the same
time. If you try to open a document that is already being used by
someone, you receive a message that the file is in use. You then have
the choice of working on it anyway and having Word Merge the changes
when the document becomes available or looking at a read-only copy. It
is also possible to open a read-only copy and resave the file with a
different name in order to make changes, but if you did that, you would
be deliberately causing version control problems. So of course you
wouldn't do that.
***
About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Editing with Word 2003 and Acrobat 7" and "Editing with MS Word 2007"
to her credit. Jennie specializes in electronic editing. At the
American Psychological Association, she was manager of electronic
publishing and manager of technical editing and journal production.
Jennie has an M.A. from George Washington University and is a Certified
Technical Trainer (Chauncey Group). She is a publishing professional
with 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.
to her credit. Jennie specializes in electronic editing. At the
American Psychological Association, she was manager of electronic
publishing and manager of technical editing and journal production.
Jennie has an M.A. from George Washington University and is a Certified
Technical Trainer (Chauncey Group). She is a publishing professional
with 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.