Three Ways to Avoid Version Confusion

In the process of cooperative manufacturing, a confused version of the documents often leads to a decrease in efficiency and even rework.We share three practical tips: file version control, a unified naming rule, and the use of real-time synchronization tools. These will help teams optimize their workflow and avoid wasting resources due to version errors.

Why should version confusion be such a big problem?

What are you most afraid of in the workshop? That all your hard work has been done on the wrong blueprint! This not only delays the project, it can double the cost.In particular, when a number of departments are working at the same time, documents are passed back and forth, and it is easy to make a mistake if you are not careful.Today we're going to talk about three down-to-earth methods to completely solve this "big headache.

Use the right tools and unify storage platforms.

Don't keep sending files in your group chat anymore! You'll rename them or zip them up, and two days later you won't know where they are.I recommend using a dedicated cloud collaboration platform (such as Google Drive or Dropbox). All files are stored in one place, and the system automatically records who has updated or changed what.

Set up a "unique revision right.

For example, if Workshop A is working on a certain part, it locks the editing rights to the relevant blueprints, so that other workshops can only view them.Only after the A workshop confirms that the changes have been made are the rights to the file reactivated. This way, it is impossible for two people to be changing the same file at the same time.

The names of the files should be like street addresses.

Have you ever seen a document named "Final Version _ Revised _ Really Not Going to Change"? This kind of naming system is like a land mine. Make a hard-and-fast rule: All documents must include the date, the version number, and the name of the person responsible for the document.For example, "20231025_支架图纸_V2.0_张三" (20231025_scaffold drawing_V2.0_Zhang San) makes it easy to tell at a glance which version to use.

Add a version history.

Add a table to the beginning of the document, and every time you revise it, write down the date and what was changed, and who was responsible.Don't think this is a hassle. This method allows everyone to understand the process of document development in five minutes, which is ten times more efficient than asking each co-worker one by one.

It takes only ten minutes a day to keep the versions synchronized.

Every day before they leave work, the team leaders of each workshop meet online to check the version numbers of the documents used that day.Don't feel you are wasting time--compared to redoing the work, this 10 minutes is really a steal.

A "version rescue kit"

On every Friday, put the latest version of the document into a separate folder, and name it something like "Week X Final Version Backup.If it is ever discovered that the wrong version was used, the correct data from the previous week can be immediately retrieved, and lives can be saved in a critical situation.

In the end, the most important thing is consistency.At first it might seem a nuisance, but after two weeks, there will be no more arguments over version numbers.After all, saved time is real money, and the users are the ones who know best.