Managing versions in G Suite
Managing versions in G Suite
This explains how to manage versions in G Suite. It also recommends what to think about when you share and work together on files.
Read See what’s changed in a file for more information on how to manage versions.
This guide is in beta. This means that we are still working to improve it, so your feedback will help us make sure that they are easy to understand and useful. Please let us know your suggestions.
As you make changes to a file in G Suite, the file updates for everyone in real time. G Suite saves all the changes to Drive automatically. This means you can see what anyone has done to that file.
You can view all the changes in ‘Version History’ by clicking on ‘All changes saved in Drive’. Older versions combine after many edits. Recent edits are stored in more detail. After finalising the document, you can still look at an earlier version of it.
When you share live files in Google, you give people access to all the past versions of that file. This means that people you share the file with can see:
These might contain incorrect or sensitive information. You might not want everyone to see this. Think about whether the person you’re sharing with needs to see all versions of the file.
For example, you should not copy a completed form, clear the contents, then share it. The person you shared with can see the original completed version in ‘Version History’. This could lead to a data breach. They can access the information they’re not supposed to. This might include personal data. When you delete the content of a file, it is still visible in the older version.
Instead, you could:
You can manage versions of a file in the Version History by naming them. You do not need to do this for every edit.
Name a version by giving it a title. You might do this to identify key stages in drafting, or show which version was approved. For example, a version of a document from when you have finished editing, but before you share it for sign-off. Describe the named version in a clear way. For example, you might add “Final Version for Approval” to the title.
You should always know which version is the most current. This stops you and your colleagues getting confused. It also helps you identify what is accurate and up-to-date, and what is not.
When you work on a document together, you can suggest edits without changing the document. This works like “Tracked Changes” in Microsoft Word. It means all users working on a document can see the latest information and proposed changes. It also promotes open working and transparency. You can also chat within a document to discuss changes.
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