How to Manage Different Versions of PDF Files — Document Version Control Explained.

Lost in document chaos with different versions of current and previous files? Applying document version control principles is the answer to keeping track of file versions — whether you’re creating new documents, tracking document changes and reviews, or archiving old files. Read on to learn what document version control is, how it works, and how you can use it to keep control of your files.

What you’ll learn

• What document version control is
• When to use document version control
• The benefits of document version control
• Document version control naming conventions
• Tips for using document version control with PDF files

What is document version control?

Document version control is all about taking a systematic approach or process to the way you name, track, manage, and organize different versions or iterations of a document. Rather than overwrite the changes you make in a document, you save new versions with different names to reflect the updates. This helps you maintain a chronological history of changes made to a document, so you can easily access and refer to or revert to earlier versions if needed.

PDFs are often used for the final version of documents created in other formats. It’s easy to convert files to PDF in various applications or by dragging and dropping to convert to PDF with Adobe Acrobat Online.

With the power of PDFs to create interactive files, include multi-media content, they’re also a go-to for working copies of many types of documents. Using version control in PDF files helps in the document creation and saving process immensely.

When to use document version control.

Using document version control is good practice with just about any type of digital document you change at work or home. Document version control is also necessary for a range of documents in various settings. For example —

• Policy and procedure manuals.
  Policy and procedure manuals for any type of business will often include elements and sections that cover regulatory compliance issues such as health and safety, privacy considerations, and so forth. Robust document version control processes are often needed to show changes and updates to meet legal obligations over time. If you need to, you can show what version of a policy or procedure was current at the time of an event.

• Reports, business plans, and contracts.
  Any written document that may undergo multiple revisions by one or more authors with benefit from using document version control. It allows you to review how a document has evolved, when changes were made, and who by.

• Creative work.
  Graphic designers, artists, and creatives use version control to manage iterations of designs, artwork, and multimedia projects. Starting with the original file, creating, and identifying different versions allows for better management of digital assets, and makes it easier to go back and fine-tune or perfect a design.

• Inventive and engineering projects.

Any type of inventive or engineering project, including software development, benefits from using document version control. Version control ensures aspects such as design changes and code versions are tracked accurately.

Document version control has benefits.

Some of the many benefits of using document version control include the ability to —

• Restore and revert to previous versions.
  Mistakes happen and files do get lost or damaged. If this does happen, using version control with your documents allows you to revert to an earlier version of the document, and restore it to a previous state.

• Facilitate collaboration.
  When multiple individuals collaborate on a document or project, ensuring everyone is working on the latest version is essential. Version control prevents conflicting changes and maintains a coherent document.
  

• Track changes.
  Document version control allows you and others to keep track of modifications, additions, and deletions made to a document over time. Each change is logged, which makes it easier to review progress on a document.

• Minimize errors and avoid duplication.
  Version control minimizes the risk of errors or conflicts that can arise when multiple people collaborate on a document simultaneously. It ensures that changes are recorded, reducing the chances of duplication or conflicting edits.

• Create an audit trail.
  Transparency and accountability are essential to many businesses. Using document version control creates an audit trail and shows the history of changes made to a document. This can be invaluable for compliance purposes or tracking individual contributions in a team environment.

Naming conventions for document version control.

There are many different naming control conventions that you can use to make the version of documents clear and provide some organization and structure in the way your files are sorted and organized in electronic filing systems. In choosing a naming control convention, consistency is key. Consider —

• the nature of your business
• the number of documents you want to implement version control with
• how many employees will need to understand the naming convention?

Some common document naming conventions include —

• Sequential numbering.
  Sequential numbering is straightforward and often used for the main updates of documents. Numbers are used to denote versions. For example, Document_v1, Document_v2, Document_v3.

• Decimal point numbering.
  Decimal points are often incorporated into document version names when minor revisions and changes have been made. For example, Document_v1.1, Document_v1.2, Document_v2.0.

• Date and timestamps.
  Dates and timestamps are used to show when changes were made and assist with file searching and sorting. For example, YYYMMDD_Document.

• Document status.
  The status of a document is often included in the filename to be clear about the stage it is at. This can help prevent unauthorized or early distribution. For example, Draft, Final, and Revision.

Tips for using document version control with PDF files.

Here are a few tips to help with using version control in PDF files.

• Use Save As.
  Simply use the Save As option from the Menu in Adobe Acrobat. Create a new file name using the naming convention you’ve established. Acrobat integrates seamlessly with whatever document management system you choose to store your files in.

• Collaborate, save, and store your files online.
  Keep your documents safe and secure. Use Adobe Acrobat with Document Cloud services to access document version control features to track reviews of your business documents, share, collaborate, and more.

• Compare PDF documents.
  Not sure what’s been changed in two versions of a PDF? Compare different versions of your PDF files with the Compare tool in Adobe Acrobat. Click on the settings to drill down into the changes you want to compare.
  

Related content.

PDF version control goes hand in with other aspects of working with PDF files. Other articles to help improve your PDF techniques skills include —

• Solve Small Business Document Management Challenges with PDF Document Management.
• Create and Manage Digital Contracts and Forms with Interactive PDFs.
• How to Use Headers and Footers in PDFs.