Version Control

Version control automatically saves snapshots of your statements of work as they evolve, creating a complete history of changes. You can compare versions, revert to previous states, and see exactly what changed over time.

What is Version Control?

Version control helps you:

Track Evolution: See how work has changed over time
Maintain History: Keep complete record of all modifications
Compare Versions: See differences between any two versions
Revert Changes: Go back to previous versions if needed
Document Progress: Show clients how requirements evolved
Support Approvals: Track what was approved when
Enable Auditing: Demonstrate compliance and accountability

How Versioning Works

Automatic Snapshots

Every time you make significant changes to a Statement of Work:

A new version is automatically created
Version number increments (v1, v2, v3, etc.)
Complete snapshot is saved
All items, criteria, and tests included
Original versions are preserved forever

What gets versioned:

SOW title and description
All work items and their hierarchy
Acceptance criteria for each item
Test definitions
Status and completion data
Metadata and timestamps

What's preserved:

Who created the version
When it was created
What changed from previous version
Why changes were made (version notes)

Version Numbers

Versions are numbered sequentially:

v1 → Initial version
v2 → First revision
v3 → Second revision
v4 → Third revision
...and so on

Characteristics:

Automatic numbering (no gaps)
Cannot be changed or deleted
Permanently stored
Easy to reference ("See v3 for details")

Creating Versions

Manual Version Creation

When to create a version manually:

Before major changes
Before sending for approval
After client feedback
At project milestones
When switching phases
Before archiving

How to create:

Open your SOW
Click "Create Version" or "Save Version"

Add version notes:

Version 3 - Added mobile responsiveness requirements
based on client feedback from 12/15 meeting.

Click "Save"

The new version:

Gets next sequential number
Saves current state
Becomes the new "current" version
Previous version preserved

Automatic Version Creation

Versions are auto-created when:

Submitting for approval
Approver requests changes
Distributing via email
Major restructuring detected
Periodic auto-save (configurable)

Benefits:

Never lose work
Always have backup
Track changes automatically
No manual intervention needed

Viewing Version History

Access Version History

Open your SOW
Click "Version History" or "Versions" tab
See all versions listed:
- Version number
- Creation date
- Created by (user name)
- Version notes
- Number of changes

Version List View

Each version shows:

v5 - Current Version
Created: Dec 15, 2024 at 3:45 PM
By: Jane Smith
Notes: Finalized mobile requirements
Changes: 5 items modified, 3 criteria added

v4
Created: Dec 14, 2024 at 2:20 PM
By: Jane Smith
Notes: Added responsive design section
Changes: 2 items added, 1 modified

v3
Created: Dec 12, 2024 at 10:15 AM
By: John Doe
Notes: Client feedback incorporated
Changes: 4 items modified, 2 criteria changed

Actions available:

View version
Compare with another version
Download as PDF
Restore this version
Add retrospective notes

Viewing a Specific Version

To see a past version:

Open Version History
Click on the version you want to see
View read-only snapshot:
- All items as they were
- All criteria as they were
- All tests as they were
- Status at that time

You can:

Browse the content
Export to PDF
Share link to this version
Compare to other versions

You cannot:

Edit past versions
Delete past versions
Change version numbers

Comparing Versions

Side-by-Side Comparison

See exactly what changed:

Open Version History
Click "Compare Versions"
Select two versions:
- From version (older)
- To version (newer)
View differences:

Added items (highlighted in green):

+ New requirement: Mobile-first responsive design
+ New task: Implement touch-friendly navigation

Modified items (highlighted in yellow):

~ Requirement title changed:
  From: "Navigation menu"
  To: "Responsive navigation menu with mobile support"

~ Description updated:
  Added: "Must work on devices from 320px to 4K displays"

Removed items (highlighted in red):

- Old requirement: Desktop-only navigation
- Old task: IE11 support

Changed criteria (highlighted):

~ Criterion modified:
  From: "Menu works in modern browsers"
  To: "Menu works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge (last 2 versions)"

Diff View Options

Different views available:

Unified diff: Changes shown inline

Version 3 → Version 4

Items (5 changes):
  + Added: "Mobile responsiveness"
  ~ Modified: "Navigation menu" → "Responsive navigation"
  - Removed: "IE11 support requirement"

Criteria (3 changes):
  + Added: "Touch-friendly interactions"
  + Added: "Responsive breakpoints at 768px and 1024px"

Side-by-side: Two columns showing before/after

Version 3             |  Version 4
--------------------- | ---------------------
Navigation menu       |  Responsive navigation
Desktop-focused       |  Mobile-first design
                      |  + Touch support

Summary only: Just counts and categories

Version 3 → Version 4 (12 changes)
- 3 items added
- 2 items modified
- 1 item removed
- 4 criteria added
- 2 criteria modified
- 0 tests removed

Restoring Previous Versions

When to Restore

Restore a previous version when:

Recent changes need to be undone
Client wants to revert to earlier state
Mistake was made in current version
Earlier version was better
Testing new approach (can revert if needed)

How to Restore

Restoring creates a new version with old content. It doesn't delete the current version.

Open Version History
Find the version you want to restore
Click "Restore This Version"
Confirm restoration:
- Current content will be replaced
- New version will be created
- Old versions remain in history

Add restoration notes:

Restored to v3 - reverting mobile changes
per client request after review meeting.

Click "Restore"

What happens:

New version created (e.g., v7)
Content copied from selected version (e.g., v3)
Version v6 still exists in history
You can compare v6 and v7 to see what was undone

Restoration vs. Rollback

Restoration (what happens):

Creates new version
Preserves all history
Old versions still accessible
Auditable and traceable

Rollback (what doesn't happen):

Doesn't delete versions
Doesn't lose work
Doesn't break history
Doesn't cause data loss

Version Annotations

Adding Notes to Versions

When creating a version, add meaningful notes:

Good version notes:

✓ "Added section 3 requirements based on 12/15 client meeting"
✓ "Removed deprecated API requirements per architecture decision"
✓ "Incorporated feedback from security review - see comments"
✓ "Final version for Phase 1 approval"

Poor version notes:

✗ "Updates"
✗ "Changes"
✗ "Fixed stuff"
✗ (no notes)

Retrospective Notes

Add notes to past versions:

View the version
Click "Add Retrospective Note"

Add context:

This version was approved on 12/20/2024.
Implemented in Sprint 5.
Replaced by v8 after scope change in January.

Save note

Use cases:

Document when version was approved
Link to decisions or discussions
Note why version was superseded
Provide historical context

Versioning Best Practices

When to Create Versions

Always create a version:

Before major changes
Before sending for approval
After significant client feedback
At milestone completions
Before archiving
When switching project phases

Consider creating a version:

Daily if actively changing
After each significant edit session
Before and after meetings
When experimenting with changes

Don't create versions:

For every tiny change
Multiple times per minute
When no meaningful changes made
Just to increment the number

Organizing Versions

Use clear naming conventions in notes:

Phase-based:
- "Phase 1 Initial Draft"
- "Phase 1 Final"
- "Phase 2 Initial Draft"

Milestone-based:
- "Milestone 1 Complete"
- "Milestone 2 - Architecture Decisions"
- "Final Delivery - All Milestones"

Review-based:
- "Draft for Internal Review"
- "Post-Review Revisions"
- "Client Approval Draft v1"
- "Final Approved Version"

Communicating About Versions

Reference versions clearly:

✓ "Please review SOW v5 for the mobile requirements"
✓ "Client approved v3 on December 15th"
✓ "Compare v4 and v5 to see security additions"

In emails:

Subject: Website Redesign SOW - v4 Ready for Review

Hi John,

I've created version 4 of the SOW with the mobile
requirements we discussed. You can compare it to v3
to see exactly what changed.

Link: [SOW v4]

Version Workflows

Approval Workflow

Version progression through approval:

v1 - Internal Draft
↓
v2 - Ready for Client Review
↓ (shared with client)
v3 - Incorporating Client Feedback
↓
v4 - Final Approval Version
↓ (client approves)
v5+ - Implementation Updates

At each stage:

Create version before sharing
Get feedback or approval
Incorporate changes
Create new version
Repeat until approved

Iterative Development

Using versions during development:

Sprint 1:
v1 - Sprint 1 Planning
v2 - Mid-sprint adjustments
v3 - Sprint 1 Complete

Sprint 2:
v4 - Sprint 2 Planning (includes Sprint 1 learnings)
v5 - Mid-sprint changes
v6 - Sprint 2 Complete

Final:
v7 - All sprints integrated
v8 - Final polishing
v9 - Delivered version

Experimentation

Try new approaches safely:

Current version: v5
Create "experimental" changes
Save as v6 with note: "Testing alternative approach"
Review with team
Decision:
- If good: Keep v6, continue from there
- If bad: Restore to v5, which creates v7

No work is ever lost!

Version Analytics

Tracking Version Activity

Metrics you can see:

Total versions created
Average time between versions
Most active periods
Who creates most versions
Version approval rates

Use this data to:

Understand project velocity
Identify when scope changes happen
See patterns in requirements evolution
Improve estimation for future projects

Exporting Versions

Download Specific Version

Export any version:

Open the version
Click "Export" or "Download"
Choose format:
- PDF (for sharing)
- JSON (for backup)
- Markdown (for documentation)
Downloaded file includes:
- Version number in filename
- All content from that version
- Creation date and author
- Version notes