File Version Numbers: A Simple Handoff from Draft to Approved Copy
Use a clear revision number and status, keep an agreed approved copy, and avoid ambiguity when two people edit the same document.
Choose what a revision number means
For a small document workflow, a revision can mean one shared checkpoint rather than every saved keystroke. A simple convention is v01, v02 and v03, with draft or approved as a separate status. This is an example policy you can adapt; software packages, engineering documents and regulated records may already have their own versioning rules.
A worked handoff
| Step | Filename | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| First review | 2026-10-24_river_plan_v01_draft.docx | First copy sent for review. |
| Revised review | 2026-10-24_river_plan_v02_draft.docx | Feedback incorporated at a new checkpoint. |
| Approved checkpoint | 2026-10-24_river_plan_v03_approved.pdf | The agreed export of the approved revision. |
| Later revision | 2026-10-25_river_plan_v04_draft.docx | New work after the earlier approval. |
The later draft does not silently revoke or replace the approved checkpoint. A team needs to decide which copy is currently authoritative and where the approval record lives. The word approved in a filename cannot create that record on its own.
If two people edit v02 at once, calling both outputs v03 creates a collision. Agree on an owner or add a temporary contributor label during review, then reconcile the differences before creating the next shared checkpoint.
Keep three pieces of information together
- The file that people should currently use.
- The date and reason for the checkpoint.
- The previous checkpoint needed to understand or reverse a change.
A small change note such as “updated venue capacity in section 2” tells a reviewer more than “latest.” Keep that note in the agreed document system or accompanying record. Avoid inventing a second approval process if your existing system already provides one.
See date and project naming examples. For file preservation, read the separate backup guide; a new version name alone does not create a backup.
Published October 24, 2026 · BlogJD Editorial Desk · Editorial policy