Version control number extender plug-in

The version control number extender automates the process of updating version control numbers.

By default, FileHold automatically creates a monotonically increasing version number for document versions. Some processes may require a semantic version number and this is where version control numbers come in. Users can enter semantic text that will be automatically prefixed according to the control number configuration.

The extender removes the need for manual user entry by automatically creating a semantic number based on the draft or approved status of a document. A major minor version is created with a letter in the major position and a number in the minor position. The specific order and major minor separator can be defined in the configuration. The minor version is incremented each time a new document version is checked in. The major version is incremented each time a document is approved in a workflow. For example, assume the version control number has a prefix of REV- and the version format is set to major dot minor: REV-0.1 is a new document in the system, REV-A.1 is the first approved version of the document and REV-B.5 is the fifth not approved revision to the second approved version of the document. If version REV-B.5 gets approved, the control number will automatically change to REV-C.1. The normal document hiding features are available to display or hide versions of the document that are not approved.

An additional feature of the extender is the ability to update a metadata field each time a document is added, checked in, or copied; each time a workflow is initiated on the document and for each activity in the workflow. This can provide a context specific workflow status beyond the included state and percent completion status information that is the default workflow behavior. For example, a Workflow status field could be created to display values like "In engineering", "Awaiting CCB", "Approved by Jas Dahl", etc.