What is document version control?
Document version control identifies the current approved document, preserves earlier revisions, and records who changed and approved each issue. See a worked QueryChart process and practical steps for applying it.
Document version control identifies the current approved document, preserves earlier revisions, and records who changed and approved each issue.
The short version
- Identify the item: Assign one document ID and named owner; record where the approved copy will live.
- Review and issue: Record reviewer comments, approval, revision and effective date before publication.
- Preserve and withdraw: Archive the previous issue with its history and remove it from points of use.
What is document version control in practice
A filename such as final-v3 is not a control. The useful test is whether a reader can identify the effective copy at the point of use, retrieve the previous issue, and explain the decision that released the new one.
Give the document a stable ID, a revision, an owner, an approver and an effective date. Keep drafts separate from issued copies and withdraw superseded copies from shared locations. The document control workflow below shows where each record is created.
See the document control process workflow
Step through the decisions behind what is document version control.
Identify the item
The request and draft establish the document identity before a revision is issued, so later changes can be traced to the same record.
Review and issue
Review and approval are separate decisions; a draft is not current merely because someone uploaded it.
Preserve and withdraw
The register is updated, the approved copy is published, and superseded copies are withdrawn while their history remains available.
How it works
Identify the item
Assign one document ID and named owner; record where the approved copy will live.
Review and issue
Record reviewer comments, approval, revision and effective date before publication.
Preserve and withdraw
Archive the previous issue with its history and remove it from points of use.
Mistakes to avoid
Missing the decision record
Keep the actor, decision and effective state alongside the output. A filename such as final-v3 is not a control. The useful test is whether a reader can identify the effective copy at the point of use, retrieve the previous issue, and explain the decision that released the new one.
Related QueryChart feature
Open the worked process
Use the linked document control process template to adapt the workflow to your team.
Frequently asked questions
Does every edit need a new issued version?
No. Draft edits can be saved as working revisions; issue a new approved version when the controlled content changes.
Is a version number enough?
No. It must identify an approved, effective copy and lead to its review, approval and supersession record.
Where should the old version go?
Keep it in a restricted archive with its dates and approval history; remove it from normal use.