Before diving into the Document revision management process, it's important to revisit our module roles to ensure the individuals involved in the revision control have the appropriate abilities inside L2L. Where users who require escalated permissions in the Standard Work/Documents Module can be assigned to one or more of four roles based on their subject matter expertise for the document management process:
Authors: can add, check out, and edit documents and past revisions
Publishers: in addition, can manage document categories and publish them
Admins: in addition to all permissions granted to authors and publishers, can manage users Approvers: can approve document revisions; they must also be an Admin or Publisher
Revising Documents and Skills
In order to help facilitate training needs and document control needs, Dispatch's Documents and Skills can be revised. Adding a new Document revision or Skill revision allows you to stage a new revision before publishing it.
Creating a new Document Revision through the Web Interface
Select a Document from the Document List screen. Click the "Create Revision" button at the bottom of the screen. You will then be able to choose which type of Document to add: File, Checklist, or Link. If you upload a new file and click "Upload file", or if you create a new link and click "Save", you will then be taken to this page:
This page allows you to add a description to the revision changes, publish the document, and update the associated Skills, if any. There are three "Actions" you can take with associated skills: No action, Create New Revision, Include in Revision.
The following sections explain what each of these options does.
Add a revision for a Document, no associated Skills
If your document is not part of a Skill revision, you can simply add a document revision and publish.
Add a revision for a Document, don't update current skill revision
If your document has associated Skills, and you do not want to update the Skill, choose "No Action" when publishing the Document. The Skill will keep the document, but will not change the Document revision for that Skill.
Add a revision for a Document, include in current skill revision
If you need to update a Document, and you need the document to be updated on the Skill, but you don't need to create a new Skill revision, choose "Include in Revision" when publishing the Document. This will associate the new Document Revision with the current Skill revision. This is helpful when a document has a grammatical error or moves location.
Add a revision for a Document, create a new skill revision
If you need to update a Document and create a new Skill revision in a single step, choose "Create New Revision" when publishing a document. You can then select a new "Effective Start Date" for the new Skill revision. This will automatically add a new revision for the associated Skill. This will expire all User Skills and will allow them to re-acknowledge training.
Add a Skill revision, include current revision of all Documents
It is common to handle Document revisions and Skill revisions independently. Often Documents are updated and published multiple times before a Skill is revised. When you add a new revision from the Skill Details page, the resulting Skill revision will have the latest published revision for all associated documents.
Creating a new Document Revision through the API, and publishing through the Web Interface:
Documents can be added and published through the API, but it will not update the associated Skills. You can, however, use the Web Interface to publish Documents that were added through the API to update its associated Skills. Simply open the Document screen, and click "View Document History" link in the "Revision Changes" section. Select a revision from the list, and click "Publish." You will then be presented with a screen to update the associated Skills. Refer to the sections above for a detailed description of the "Actions" that you can take.
Note: Document Publish Date-
The document Published date provides an easy way to identify when a document revision was published. Often this data is necessary when documents are audited. The Published date is available on the document screen and the document revision screen. Here are some important details about the published date:
- The Published date will show the most recent date the document was published. If a document revision is published more than once, it will only show the most recent date the revision was published.
- If the document was published before the Published date was added to the Document Center, "Unknown" will be displayed for the Published date. If the document has not been revised since it was published, the Updated date is the date the document was published.
Author Responsibilities
Individuals assigned the 'Author' Document Center Security permission are able to check out documents for editing and execute changes to the document.
Document Check Out
Documents are checked out as a means to prevent multiple authors from making changes to the same document simultaneously. An author can check out a document by using the 'Check Out' link within the 'Checked Out By' column on the right of the Document List screen.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents)
Once checked out, this column will show the name and username of the author who checked out the document. The document can also be checked out from within the Document Details page via the green 'Check Out' link.
Document Revision
The screen will automatically navigate to the Document Details, or "cover page", once the 'Check Out' option is selected. The name and username of the author the document is checked out to, as well as the date and time of check out, will also be listed here under the "Document Checked Out By" section. Additionally, there is a link next to the section header to check the document back in if it was reserved for editing in error.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details)
The 'Create Revision' button is located at the bottom of the cover page, below the 'Revision Changes' section, and should appear only for the Author to whom the document is checked out.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details)
Selecting this button will begin the document editing process, which follows the document creation process from the prior lesson. The editing Author will need to select the document type (file, link, or checklist template) to create this new revision as and according to the type selected, need to insert a new link or file, or will be taken to the Checklist details screen to then select 'Edit Template' to modify the Checklist properties or tasks.
Document Revision Confirmation
Once revisions have been completed on the document, the Author will again be required to provide a statement indicating what changes have been made. These not only are valuable for future reference to understand what has changed on a document over time, but also as a means to inform any Approvers that may need to sign off on the new document revision before it is published.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details > Create Revision)
As a reminder, the need for Approver sign-off on a document is driven by the document category, and Approval from one or more Approvers may be required. Selecting the 'Save as a New Revision' button prompts L2L to send an automated email notice to the designated Approver(s) to alert them to take action.
Document Level Approvals and Approval Process
The L2L Document Center offers two approaches to the approval process: this allows designated personnel to Approve or Deny a Document Revision prior to it being published.
To get started, add the "APPROVER" role for designated users. This is done through the Security Settings under the Standard Work / Documents Module.
*Please note that you must be an Administrator to edit these and all security settings.
- You can create a Document Category and assign approvers to it.
- You can add Approvers directly to a Document on the Detail screen.
Document Categories Screen:
- After specifying APPROVERS under the Standard Work/Documents Module Security Settings, add 'APPROVERS' to the Document Categories
- APPROVERS will be alerted via email when a Document is submitted for Publishing. They can then approve or deny a Document Revision. NOTE: If a document is not published, this is not considered a "live document" in the system.
- Document Categories without APPROVERS will continue to function as usual.
Document & Document Revision Screens:
1. Admins can add Approvers on the Document Detail page. The Approvers on the Document Detail Screen will override the Category-level Approvers.
2. Admins can add approvers on the Document Revision Screen. This will also retain them on the Document as an Approver.
3. If the Document has Category approvers and document approvers are added, category approvers who have not already approved, will be removed. If they have approved, the Admin will have the option to leave them on as a document-level approver or remove them (wiping out their approval). If the Admin leaves them on as a document approver and the button for 'one approver required to publish' is checked, the document will be available to publish.
Document Publication: No Approvers Required
Author as Publisher
If no approval is required to review the revision prior to publication but the Author does have Publisher permissions, the Author can publish the document at the time the revision is created. This will push out the new revision into L2L as a "live" version of the document for use. If the Author wishes to continue editing the document before publication, the "Publish" check box can be unchecked to save the revision for future modification and publication.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details > Create Revision)
If there are associated Skills to the document being published, selecting 'Publish' on the confirmation modal opens the 'Revision Associated Skills' page. Publisher can indicate on this page whether the associated Skill(s) should be up-versioned ('Create New Revision') or remain unchanged ('Include in Revision') per the document revisions. If 'Create New Revision' is selected, a 'New Effective Start Date' for the Skill must to be entered.
Separate Publisher
If no approval is required to review the revision prior to publication but the Author does not also have Publisher permissions, a new revision of the document will be generated but not published in the system. This means that the modified version of the document is not the "live" copy of the document in the system, but is visible with the Document History; to become the "live" version for the site, a Publisher must publish that new revision.
If the Publisher is separate from the Author, the document can be published by selecting the document from the All Documents list, then navigating to the 'View Document History' link in the 'Revision Changes' section at the bottom of the page.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details)
Upon choosing the approved revision to be published from the Document Revision History screen. This leads to the above Document Revision Detail screen where the 'Publish' button in accessible.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details > Pending Revision)
A modal with appear upon clicking 'Publish' to confirm the selection:
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details > Approve)
If there are associated Skills to the document being published, selecting 'Publish' on the confirmation modal opens the 'Revision Associated Skills' page. Publisher can indicate on this page whether the associated Skill (s)should be up-versioned ('Create New Revision') or remain unchanged ('Include in Revision') per the document revisions. If 'Create New Revision' is selected, a 'New Effective Start Date' for the Skill must to be entered.
Document Publication: Approval(s) Required
For Documents requiring one or more approvals before publication, Approvers are alerted via email when a Document is submitted for Publishing as long as the Approver has an email address associated with their L2L account. The email includes the Document Number and Name, as well as a link to access the document for review:
Documents Awaiting Approval
Documents that are awaiting approval can be filtered in the Standard Work/Documents Module. Select All Documents from the Standard Work/Documents submenu and use the 'Filters' to select 'Awaiting Approval' or specifically 'Awaiting My Approval' from the Statuses drop down. After selecting 'Apply', the list is filtered to only documents that require Approver sign-off.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents)
Pending Revisions
From the list of filtered documents, the Approver selects the document to review and grant approval to. This accesses the Document Details page, where at the bottom, the document will show 'Pending Revision(s)' under the 'Revision Changes' section.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details)
The Approver can use the 'View Document History' link in the 'Revision Changes' section to access the Document Revision History page, which provides access to each version of the document alongside its publication status and the Author who completed the update with the revision date:
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > View Document History)
This allows the reviewer to assess what changes have been included in the revision to be approved relative to the current 'live' document in the site. The Approver then selects the new revision link from the 'Rending Revision(s)' section; if there are multiple revisions requiring approval, the most recent will at the bottom. This opens the 'Document Revision Detail' page:
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details > Pending Revision)
Using the buttons at the bottom, the Approver can then either Approve or Deny the document and include a comment.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details > Approve)
Publication
If the Approver, of in the case of multiple approvals required, the final Approver, has 'Publisher' permissions in the module Security Settings, a 'Publish' button appears at the bottom of the Document Revision Detail page once their approval has been granted.
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details > View Document History > Document Version)
If the Publisher is an individual separate from the Approver(s), the document can be published by selecting the document from the All Documents list, then navigating to the 'View Document History' link in the 'Revision Changes' section as mentioned in Pending Revisions. Upon choosing the approved revision to be published from the Document Revision History screen. This leads to the above Document Revision Detail screen where the 'Publish' button in accessible.
A modal with appear upon clicking 'Publish' to confirm the selection:
Pending Revisions with Skills Associations
Some documents may be associated with Skills in the L2L Skills Module as supporting materials for the scope of that Skill. Any associated Skills to a document will appear in the 'Associated Active Skills' section of the Document Details:
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details)
If there are associated Skills to the document being published, selecting 'Publish' on the confirmation modal opens the 'Revision Associated Skills' page. Publisher can indicate on this page whether the associated Skill (s)should be up-versioned ('Create New Revision') or remain unchanged ('Include in Revision') per the document revisions. If 'Create New Revision' is selected, a 'New Effective Start Date' for the Skill must to be entered:
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details > Revision Skills)
Once the appropriate selection and data is entered, 'Revision Skills' is selected to confirm the information and return the Approver to the Document Details page. The new Skill revision and effective date is now additionally listed in the 'Associated Active Skills'.
Revision History
Selecting a document link from the Revision History page opens the Document Revision Detail screen, from which document revisions can be approved and published by the appropriate individuals. As well, the information on the revision's Created By and On, Updated By and On, and Published By and On can be viewed.
-
- Screenshot: (Home > Standard Work/Documents > All Documents > Document Details > View Document History > Document Version)
Now that you are familiar with Document Revisions, Approvals, Publications, and Revision History, please continue to learn more about Standard Work/Documents - Helpful Reports & Widgets.
Related Articles: