A to Z of Documentation Version Control and How it Improves Workplace Collaboration

Have you ever spent hours editing the wrong document version? I can feel your pain.

Documenting your content should be an easy process without any goof-ups. However, at times we face issues managing the documentation workflow. It not only kills your time but also hampers the collaboration in your team. You can repeal these mistakes by implementing documentation version control and change tracking.

Today, global businesses operate from different corners of the world. Their workforce is distributed globally so the importance of team collaboration has multiplied manifold. Therefore, managing documents has become more important than ever to maintain efficiency and a steady workflow. Following documentation best practices can help you move a step closer to bringing more accuracy in the workplace.

With agile development, many companies are creating documentation software to enhance inter-team collaboration and help the organization move toward better efficiency. In this blog, we will help you understand the A to Z of documentation management and version control. So dig in to know everything about the basics of change tracking.

What is Version Control?¶

Version control gives you complete authority over a document. If a common document is being shared among multiple shareholders with editing rights, you can track the recent changes. It also allows you to recall specific versions according to your needs. It enhances documentation hygiene by making you follow documentation best practices.

Why is Version Control Needed in Documentation?¶

Version control in documentation helps you avoid confusion and saves time by giving you access to the latest version of the document. It improves team collaboration by improving the scope of communication among team members. As you have transparency on the doc version, you can easily track the changes made by each team member. This feature is especially beneficial for product managers, writers, and engineers working on the same product updates. Moreover, the collaboration tools give you an upper hand in identifying and resolving conflicts quickly.

Documentation tools like Docsie come with team collaboration and project management functionality. You can manage your documents on the go with these kinds of collaboration tools. The centralized platform helps you create embeddable software documents that adapt according to the preferences, languages, and locations of your customers.

Benefits of Document Sharing¶

Imagine yourself to be a product manager working closely with content writers. You and your team are trying to market the right features and make your customers understand your new offerings. Your team and the writers are using the same document to list down the features but the document does not have the option to check version history. In the absence of this feature, you and the writers may work on different versions of the same document. Think of how much time and effort you will lose in such a scenario.

Having documentation management software and following documentation best practices can help you avoid such problems. Here are a few benefits of using collaboration tools like Docsie.

Accurate and reliable information¶

Data integrity is the top priority for organizations all over the world. Every organization wants the information that is passed among departments to be accurate and up-to-date. Therefore, the feature of viewing document history becomes important as it allows stakeholders to make changes and update everyone with relevant information. It also secures the everyday documentation process. Through change tracking, you can control accidental edits, improve accuracy, and ensure the reliability of the documents.

Low chances of error¶

In a recent report published by M-Files, it was concluded that 46% of respondents mentioned that it is time-consuming and challenging to findthe documents they need. Without document history tracking, you may make edits on the wrong documents and circulate the same in your organization. This may put your company at risk. Having collaboration tools that allow you to edit the latest version when document sharing reduces the chances of errors. It controls the chances of errors during content creation and brings every stakeholder on the same page before they want to send the document out to the public. Moreover, these tools help you follow the documentation best practices correctly.

Tracking history¶

Change tracking in the documents is necessary when managing multiple versions of the documents. Using document history, you can see who is contributing what to the projects. Moreover, when the documents are shared with the internal and external teams, you can see the changes made by writers, product managers, third-party contractors, and other stakeholders. It reduces errors and gives you control to make the necessary changes without any disruption.

Document access control¶

History tracking during document sharing also improves safety standards. It ensures that the workflow processes comply with the safety instructions followed in your specific industry of operation. As the risk of cybersecurity threats has increased, protecting sensitive information is a prerequisite for organizations across the globe. Using documents with version control can help organizations uptight their security by adding user authentication, password encryption, and access control.

Better workflows¶

History tracking in documents helps in improving the workflows, therefore adding more to organizational efficiency and productivity. It makes it easier for different talent pools to collaborate and contribute to the same project. They can make inputs, review changes, and merge conflicts and confusions. You can also save time by avoiding the issues related to finding the right document version or rewriting an older version.

Compliance and regulatory benefits¶

You need to file the right documents for internal auditing and compliance & regulatory benefits. Version history tracking gives you the control to edit the right document and record the changes made over time. The documentation platform made through agile development takes care of data sensitivity, storage, and compliance.

Disaster recovery¶

When working on computers and laptops, you might accidentally delete important files. Document sharing ensures that the files are not lost and can be restored with the updated version. It merges conflicts relating to data storage and security.

Document sharing and history tracking help you send reliable information across the organization. You can merge conflicts, reduce errors, and maintain exact file records in a jiffy with these collaboration tools. Moreover, tracking the project progress and judging the accountability of each person becomes hassle-free with documentation software.

How Does Docie Help in Improving Collaboration with Documentation Management?¶

Docsie documentation management helps you manage multiple documents with ease through its advanced features. The built-in notes, memos, reminders, chats, and task features improve team collaboration. Moreover, this document-sharing software also comes with project management functionality. With documentation collaboration for internal and external teams and the option of importing & exporting documents, you can manage, edit, and store documents on the fly.

Key Takeaways¶

Docsie helps you manage documentation workflows for your entire workforce. Whether you are operating from a city or have offices around the globe, you can improve team collaboration and merge conflicts with document documentation management.

Docsie helps you manage multiple document versions, track document history, and create embeddable software documents that adapt to your customer's language, location, and preferences.

With ghost AI translation, you can easily localize your content according to the geographies and preferences of your customers. You can connect with global teams hassle-free with Docsie.

Keeping track of every document and storing them in the right place might be tedious. With Docsie documentation management, you can easily store documents on a cloud platform.

Conclusion¶

Document history tracking software improves productivity, adds a security layer, boosts efficiency and grows overall capabilities with version access and control. It also helps the team improve communication, reduce friction, and merge conflicts. The software developed through agile development promotes flexibility when creating and maintaining documentation workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Docsie document sharing handle multiple version histories?

Docsie helps you manage multiple document history. You can easily track who made the recent changes and what is the latest version of the same document. The software helps you avoid confusion and merge conflicts by improving transparency and productivity among team members.

Can large-scale companies get the benefits from the collaboration tools available on Docsie?

The collaboration tools on Docsie improve teamwork between internal and external teams. It offers multiple versions, languages, and AI translation to make your content more localized and reach out to a bigger audience. Moreover, it is suited to fulfil the needs of large global companies as well as SMEs.

Can Docsie document sharing improve the workflow for remote teams?

Docsie is best suited for companies having a global workforce. It operates well for companies operating on fully remote and hybrid setups. The built-in chat, tasks, and memos features bring improvements in the work and enhance efficiency.

Why is change tracking in the documents necessary?

Change tracking in the documents is necessary because it keeps you updated on the latest developments. When working with multiple shareholders, you can easily see who made the recent changes and how they have contributed to the success of the entire project.

What is agile development in documentation?

Agile development in documentation is a way of creating and maintaining documentation that works on the principle of agile software development. The focus of software developed through agile development is to bring more flexibility and collaboration in the workplace.