Using "no update" version option for documents

Hi Babynus,

I have a few questions regarding document versioning.

Background:
As a construction/engineering company, document exchange with our clients is essencial for us. And by document I mainly mean CAD plots, most likely in a non-editable format (e.g. PDF).
It's also necessary to keep registry of doc versioning in paper, i.e. in the PDF plots themselves, since no client is going to rely on our server-sided doc version history.

A typical workflow for us is:
1- Someone within the company talks to the customer and gets the idea for a first draft.
2- I draw something in CAD.
3- Someone else within my company reviews it.
4- My boss takes a look at it, and decides wether it's suitable for being sent to the customer ("approves it" internally)
5- We generate a first PDF plot and send it to the customer: PLOT_vA.pdf
6- He/she cheks it, and writes back his/her opinions (or even comments the PDF)
7- I pick those corrections and draw a new version.
...repeat 3 and 4...
8- We generate a new PDF plot and send it to the customer: PLOT_vB.pdf

...iterate until the client is satisfied with the solution and finally Approves it (kudos!! )

After step 4, I'd write down the "checked by", "checked date", etc. fields IN the CAD draw and re-plot PLOT_vA, so that the PDF that I send to the customer contains that information.

Of course, after step 7 the situation is the same: I need to re-plot PLOT_vB for the PDF to contain the updated revision history.



Ok, enough background.
What we're trying to do now, is to make this workflow actually flow WITHIN Project'OrRIA.

The problem is this: I create the first version of a document, and upload it's first file. My partners are asigned as reviewers, and my boss as approver. They do so, the doc "flows through" it's pre-defined workflow, and gets approved so as to be sent to the customer. Then, I need to download it, edit it (adding the revision history info), and re-upload it. But I need it with the same revision number.

NOTE: when ticket #1097 (CMIS Server) would finally see the light, this could be more automated (since you wouldn't need to write down the rev history info), but still would need to be done.

I've tried it with either "Evolutive", "Sequential" and "Custom" versioning types:
- With Sequential it's impossible: once you upload a new version it will increase the version caption automatically.
- With Evolutive or Custom, there's the chance of defining a "no update" version. I thought that was precisely the case, but when I try to upload a new file and define the new version as "no update" (and mark it as reference for the doc) I get this error:

"Invalid controls."
"The version 'XX' already exists for this document"

Which is logical and self-explaining. But then again (and here comes the question):

- How is the field "no update" (in the "create new document version" dialog) used? Why can't I create a new "no update" version "because that version already exists"? What is that option for, then?

And a more general question:
- How can I modify a previous version of a document to reflect changes in the workflow (revision stage), but (optimally) NOT changing its revision number?


Perhaps there's no way to do this, and I'm going to have to settle with using "minor update" version type, but that would be sub-optimal.
If that's the case, i'd like to hear your thoughts, Babynus, about the chance of proposing this behaviour as an evolution for Project'Or RIA. But first I want to make sure I'm not missing anything here.

Cheers!

P.S.: I'm eagerly waiting for ticket #1046 to be consumed by new v3.4.0!

babynus wrote:

until validation by your boss, your document is under work. So it is a draft !

Ah, I see...pretty obvious now, after your explanation...

You just have to check "draft", with "no update", until your boss validates it.

Yes, that way I can separate internal/external revision process. I can use drafts as internal revision stages, and "no-drafts" as external ones.
Perhaps a possible improvement would be to auto-check "draft" (and disable its control) when the user selects "no update", since that would be the only way to use it...wouldn't it? (or am I missing something else? )
Of course, if you change your mind (or had clicked by mistake) and select "minor" or "major" update, the field "draft" would be cleared and re-enabled.
I'd find this way more intuitive. But then again, perhaps that's just me


I'm trying to prepare a workflow that is similar to our actual revision process. I'm reading the online help, but can't seem to get it right.
I have a few more questions:

- If I get it correctly, you define a document's workflow, not directly, but through it's type, right? (when you define a doc as a specific doc type, that implies a specific workflow previously assigned to that type).

- The way to change the status to a specific version of a document is to edit it (through the pencil icon, within the Documents -> Versions sub-panel), isn't it?
Or is it done another way?

2- I draw something in CAD.
3- Someone else within my company reviews it.

In between these two steps:
- While "I'm drawing", the doc would have an "in progress" status. I'd like to define two levels of "approvers":
1- Reviewer: my partner/s, who check for mistakes.
2- Approver: my boss, who approves the document to be published (to client).
Do I have to define all of them as approvers, and then the pre-defined workflow determines who can change to which status? Or how can I accomplish this?

- Once I've uploaded a file to create the first (or new) draft version of a doc, does the "approve" button automatically appears in the approvers' doc panel?. What if he finds errors? is there a "reject" button, so I automatically know that I need to review it? Is there a "comments" box, so that he/she can write down what needs to be changed in that particular version?

- Is a ticket (or activity) created automatically when the doc's status change? (e.g.: how can I know that I've got pending "reviewing" tasks?)

OK, that may be enough for now... While I wait for these answers, I may have to play around a bit more (in my local Projectorria) so as to find my way around this

Thanks in advance!

babynus wrote: No, because first draft version will have major or minor update, and last document with "no update" will not be draft any more.
For instance :
Major Update, draft => V1.0_draft1
No update, draft => V1.0_draft2
No update, not draft => V1.0
Minor update, draft => V1.1_draft1
No update, draft => V1.1_draft2
No update, not draft => V1.1
and so on...

Now (I think) I get it... thanks for all your patience

P.S.: this example (along with some of your epxlanations in this thread) should go straight to the user manual... I, at least, would have found it useful