Document versioning

Silva enables Authors to manage several versions of one document.

Verison management allows:

• reviewing older versions of content
  
• comparing different versions side by side
• reverting to older versions of content
• removing selected older versions
  

It is possible to have the following versions of a document:

• published: one only
• approved/unapproved: one only
• pending: one only
• last_closed: one only
• closed: multiple versions

An Author can choose which version of a document will be used as the initial content for a new version. It may be that the last editable version contains less correct information than the version before that. Alternatively it may be a new version of the document is needed that looks more like an older version.

Accessing version management

Navigate to the document you wish to edit. Document versioning is managed in the Publish screen of a Silva document. (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1. Click Publish Screen to access document versioning

Click on the publish tab, scroll down to view the version management area for your document. (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2. Version management area

The first column in the manage versions area contains the version identification number, the second the creation time, the third the publication time (if that version was published), the fourth the expiration time (if set), and the last the status of the version. The version status can be:

• draft (red): the version can be edited
• pending(yellow): approval has been requested but has not yet been granted
  
• approved (green): a chief editor has approved the content but the publication date hasn‘t passed yet
  
• published (blue): the document is viewable by the public
• last_closed or closed (gray): the document is not in use anymore, where last_closed means it‘s the most recent unused version
  

To create a new version of an existing document

1. In the publish screen, scroll down to the manage versions area (Fig. 2)
   
2. Select the checkbox for the version you wish to create a new version from. Select only one version or you will receive an error message.
3. Click the copy for editing button. If an editable version was already available this will be re-labelled last_closed. If you have an approved version already this will have to be unapproved before you can edit or work on another version.

To compare existing versions

1. In the publish screen, scroll down to the manage versions area (Fig. 2).
2. Select the checkboxes for the documents you wish to compare.
3. Click on the compare button. You will see the documents side by side.

To delete versions no longer needed

1. In the publish screen, scroll down to the manage versions area (see Fig. 2)
2. Select the checkbox next to each unwanted version and click the delete button. You cannot delete all versions. If a version is published or approved it also cannot be deleted until it is changed to the draft or unapproved state.