Two-level versioning

Two-level versioning provides a version numbering and tracking scheme that uses major versions and minor versions. This is the full-featured versioning scheme supported by Content Engine. By including both major and minor versions, you have full access to the versioning states of released, in process, reservation, and superseded. This gives you the benefit of documents being automatically moved between draft mode (limited access) and released version mode (general or public access), as described in Security policies.

Programmatically, two-level versioning behavior is enabled only if your application provides the Check In as Minor Version option when checking in an object. Workplace XT, Workplace, and Enterprise Manager provide this option through their respective interfaces and therefore support two-level versioning without any modification.

Even if an application supports only one-level versioning, two-level versioning is always available on Content Engine. It is not disabled for an object store or document class.

Major and minor versioning sequence of events

The following sequence displays the changes that are applied to a version series as a result of a series of versioning actions. Each new column represents the next version. Bold text indicates changes. Regular text indicates no change from the previous status. Only one document can be the current version at a time (in a row), only one document can be released at a time, and only one document can be the reservation at a time.

The document class used in this example is versioning enabled and the checkouts are collaborative. Alice, Bob, Carol, and Dave are members of a same group to whom the system administrator has given full control over the document.

Versioning actions First version Second version Third version Fourth version
1 Create document: Alice creates a minor version document to explain company policy. Version: 0.1
Status: In Process
Current version
2 Check out: The next day Bob checks out the document to continue editing. Version: 0.1
Status: In Process
Current version
Version: 0.2
Status: Reservation
3 Check in: Bob checks in the finished document as a minor version. Version: 0.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 0.2
Status: In Process
Current version
4 Promote: Bob circulates a printed copy of the document for review. No updates are required, so he promotes the document to the released status. Version: 0.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.0
Status: Released
Current version
5 Check out: Later, the company changes its policy so Carol checks out the document. Version: 0.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.0
Status: Released
Current version
Version: 1.1
Status: Reservation
6 Check in: After making some edits, Carol checks it in as a minor version. Version: 0.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.0
Status: Released
Version: 1.1
Status: In Process
Current version
7 Check out: Dave checks out the document to add some changes. Version: 0.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.0
Status: Released
Version: 1.1
Status: In Process
Current version
Version: 1.2
Status: Reservation
8 Check in: Dave checks in his changes as a minor version. Version: 0.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.0
Status: Released
Version: 1.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.2
Status: In Process
Current version
9 Promote: The group reviews the document and decides its ready for release. Alice promotes the current version to the released status. Version: 0.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.0
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 2.0
Status: Released
Current version
10 Demote: Later, the company decides to revert to earlier policy. Alice demotes the Released document, which makes the earlier major version the released version. Version: 0.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.0
Status: Released
Version: 1.1
Status: Superseded
Version: 1.2
Status: In Process
Current Version