Document versions

🎯 Objective

This article will explain the concept of document versioning in netLex, detailing the different types of version generation (by questionnaire and by editor or upload), the specificities of restoring versions, and how versioning behaves during the signature and review processes.

This article contains the sections:

• Understanding Versions
• Version Types
• Restoring a Version
• Versions in signature
• Versions in review
• Frequently Asked Questions

🔄 Understanding Versions

Versioning is a fundamental resource for document management. It allows all changes made to a document over time to be recorded and traceable. 

Each time a modification occurs, a new version of the document is created, ensuring that you have a complete history of all steps, from initial versions to final edits. This provides security, transparency, and control over your documents' lifecycle.

All versions are stored in the document's right side menu, under the "Document versions" icon, which features a clock symbol with a circular arrow.


 

📝 Version Types

netLex has several distinct ways of generating versions, each with important specificities:
 

1. Version generated by the Questionnaire

The questionnaire version is blue with an N in the middle. See:



It is created whenever a user accesses the questionnaire at a certain stage. At this moment, even if there is no specific change in the answers, a new version is created so that the history is maintained and the previous version remains unchanged.

 If the same user accesses the questionnaire several times in close succession (same minute or nearby minutes), the system may just update the last version instead of generating a new one.

If the questionnaire is accessed by a different user, a new version will always be generated, even if there is no change, to differentiate and store the access history due to information security.

For this reason, sometimes the system may generate identical questionnaire versions, even if a person hasn't actually made a change to the questionnaire answers.
 

2. Version generated by the Editor or by Main Document Upload with docx

The external version is white with blue lines. See:


 

It is created whenever an edit is made directly in the draft (document text), either via the Editor or via main document upload using a docx document.

This version is saved in the system, but it causes the loss of the link between the questionnaire and the main document, meaning that changes made within the questionnaire will no longer modify the draft text.

However, the system still saves the changes made by the questionnaire after an external version is generated. These versions are called "sub-versions" and are available by clicking the "Three dots" button on the external version.

 

Important: Document uploads performed within the questionnaire are considered questionnaire versions and not an external version. Only a version that completely replaces the main document and is performed through the "cloud" button of the main document is considered an external version.

3. Version generated by Main Document Upload with pdf

The external version created by Main Document Upload using a pdf file is white with the pdf symbol in red.

In this case, the version also causes the loss of the questionnaire's link with the main document, meaning changes made inside the questionnaire will no longer modify the draft text.

Furthermore, since the pdf is a rigid document, it will not be possible to use the editor.

Questionnaire sub-versions are also saved, and document uploads performed within the questionnaire are considered questionnaire versions rather than an external version.

↩️ Restoring a Version

The version restoration functionality allows you to return to a previous version of a document saved in the history.

We recommend downloading the response extract or the docx/pdf version before restoring, to analyze the impacts of the restoration, avoiding any loss of answers in the questionnaire or edits in the document.

In this sense, it is always very important to be careful when restoring versions, as they may have unfilled questions that are essential for the workflow stages, causing unexpected behaviors. Generally, version restoration is combined with rejecting the stage back to the stage where the restored version was created, to maintain the flow logic and avoid inconsistencies.

✒️ Versions in signature

In netLex, sending for signature is directly related to the document version at the time of sending. This means that if edits are made, i.e., new versions are created after sending, the signature will remain linked to the version originally sent. When this occurs, it is necessary to cancel the signature process of the previous version and perform a new sending to ensure that the most current version is signed.

This behavior is essential to ensure information compliance, that is, to ensure that the content of the signed document is exactly what was reviewed and approved at the time of sending. Thus, it prevents someone from signing a document that later underwent changes, preserving the integrity of the process.

📝 Versions in review

In the case of review, as soon as the review is sent, it is not possible to edit the document, precisely to maintain the version that was sent to the reviewer. Only after the review is completed can it be edited again. If the reviewer's changes are approved, a new version will be created with the name and time they edited.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I edit a document that was changed via editor using the questionnaire again? 
  Yes. You can edit using the questionnaire, and the answers will be saved as sub-versions and in the extract, but they will not directly change the document.
   
• Why does the system generate identical questionnaire versions? 
  This occurs to maintain an access history by different users or due to access at non-proximate times, even if there are no changes to the questionnaire content.
   
• If a document is edited after being sent for signature, will the original version still be signed? 
  Yes, the signature will be linked to the version that was originally sent to the signature process. To sign the latest version, you must cancel the previous sending and start a new one.
   
• Is it possible to edit a document while it is in review? 
  No, the document is locked for editing during the review process to ensure the integrity of the version analyzed by the reviewer.
   
• Is a new version created after the review? 
  Yes, if the reviewer's changes are approved, a new version of the document will be created with the reviewer's record and the time of the edit.