Document Versioning / Audit Trail coming in 7.3 [WIP]

[rmehta]

Detailed blog post: Versioning and Audit Trail

Some screenshots:

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[feature] document versioning #2469

[spa]

cool … thanks for the efford

[corbincavolt]

@rmehta Just to be clear, this isn’t changing how you modify a document such as a purchase order, correct? In order to modify it, you’re still going to need to cancel the order, then amend, save and submit it, right?

[strixaluco]

This is an awesome feature and I remember that people were asking about it from time to time.
@corbincavolt, no, versioning is about tracking all those actions as canceling, amending, saving, submitting and so on. Read more about this feature at Frappe blog.

[user002]

Feedback and recommendation from experience:

1. Using something like INV000032 for version 0 and INV000032-1 for version 1 will likely create confusion + duplication. Vendors or customers receiving INV000032-1 may think it is a new invoice (or order or delivery note or etc.). Then, you have duplicate shipments or complaints or ?

2. What happens at version 11? INV000032-10? If so, any sorting issues due to have -1 and -10, etc.?

3. Recommendation: on documents, show document ID and version number as separate fields to eliminate confusion.

4. Based on experience and the web, I believe “revision” and not “version” is the appropriate term for this feature. See some references on this below. It is a critical difference and if you do not agree, at least be aware of the different terminology.

When a version is just a version, and a revision is more

Configuration Management: Revision or version? (lengthy but detailed)
http://www.qualitysystems.com/support/qst/document%20control/versions-and-revisions
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21180160
naming - Source control vs. Revision Control? - Stack Overflow
Beyond PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) Blog How to manage Document versions, revisions and Part numbers - Beyond PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) Blog
https://archive.sap.com/discussions/thread/1293885

[corbincavolt]

@strixaluco I agree, it’s definitely an awesome feature and I’m really excited to start using it! Also, I read the blog before commenting, I just wanted to confirm that this was only adding functionality, not changing existing functionality, and you’ve answered that for me, so thanks.

[rmehta]

@user002

Using something like INV000032 for version 0 and INV000032-1 for version 1 will likely create confusion + duplication. Vendors or customers receiving INV000032-1 may think it is a new invoice (or order or delivery note or etc.). Then, you have duplicate shipments or complaints or ?

That is the objective too! INV000032 is different from INV00032-1 - so if it is important to get the correct reference.

The new feature is only an addition to the current submit-cancel worklfow!

[user002]

I have seen issues many, many times. In our AP/AR + sales order processing + purchasing departments and in the same departments of suppliers and customers. Example scenario for clarity:

1. Worker 1 at supplier receives our PO 1111 and enters the PO into their system as a SO. 15 each PN ABC on order.
2. We revise the PO to 1111-1 to change the ship to address (example) and send it to the same supplier. Worker 2 at supplier receives our PO 1111-1 and enters our PO as a NEW SO and not as a revision to PO 1111.
3. Result: 15 each PN ABC get shipped to Address 1 on PO 1111 and 15 each PN ABC get shipped to Address 2 on PO 1111-1. Duplicate order when that is not what was intended.

Recommended: change to “PO 1111 Revision 1” from “PO 1111-1”. Yes, can be done by way of form modification, etc. but use of - (dash) to identify a new revision is not standard. - can be used for many other purposes.

[Javid_Hussain]

@user002 Subtle difference, but makes an awful lot of sense.

[abelinux]

Could probably make sense (whishlist) to expose this as a config parameter. That way, each company can use their own revision naming convention.

[Dbone]

I proposed some changes to document versioning a while back that I “think” might address some issues people are facing with the numbering. A few of us have issues with tracking jobs and documents as soon as a version number is added.

Drafts and submitting

I think this issue (and similar) has been discussed a few times: Reading through the various posts it seems like the main issue is amending a document changes the number, so links become an issue, and referencing a job to a client becomes an issue. What if ERPNext worked like this for amending a document: there is a dedicated field for document versions, that increments, as well as the naming series When you cancel and amend a document, ERPNExt increments that field AND adds that num…

[adam26d]

This is a great feature. Unfortunately it did not come to my rescue when my client lost terms and conditions in a quotation. These don’t seem to be logged. Not even in the Terms and Conditions document itself changes are not logged.

After a number of edits over the last few minutes. I only get a limited trail, i.e. creation time

Seems there’s a selected line of documents which are Versioned and not others?

[Julian_Robbins]

Yes some doctype s are versioned by default and some not. Ie contacts isn’t.

But you can add versioning to any doctype by selecting Customise and ticking the relevant box there.

I presume not all doctypes have versioning enabled as it would bloat the dB too much with little gain

[adam26d]

Thanks, i.e Track Changes

[aleksas]

It may be worth considering text diff or equivalent (e.g. 1, …) for fields like content in Notes, i.e for fields with considerable amount of text.

See example below:

@rmehta