Document control · Lesson 2 · Approx. 7 minutes including practice
Revision history
A revision tells a reader which approved state they are using. Record what changed and why, and connect the change to a request or review comment. A working save is not automatically a released revision.
Step 1: Approved baseline
A documentation workflow, not an equipment operating sequence. Animation starts only when you choose Play.
Tell the story of each released change
Revision control separates the content currently being developed from the content authorised for use. Write revision descriptions that explain the effect of a change, such as corrected item references on sheet 3, rather than updated drawing. A reader should understand whether the change affects geometry, applicability, presentation or an administrative field. Keep dates, request references and reviewer identities together. A revision table supports that history, while the underlying change request preserves the detailed reason and authorisation.
Prepare and check the work
Before revising a package, identify every dependent item. A changed component number may affect the assembly BOM, parts catalogue, purchase list and manual illustration. Work from the last authorised baseline, capture the proposed differences and route the affected records for review. Do not silently overwrite an issued PDF. Preserve the old issue in a controlled archive and make the current approved revision easy to identify. When a file has been changed but not checked, its status must remain draft.
Worked example · demonstration only
A manual is at revision C while its drawing reference points to revision A. First determine whether the reference intentionally requires A or should follow the current applicable drawing. Ask the technical owner, record the decision, then update and reissue only after review. The newest file is not automatically the right configuration.
Guided practice and review evidence
Use only a demonstration dataset for this exercise: Compare two versions and prepare a three-line change summary. Before starting, write down the question the finished record should answer and identify the source information you would need on a real job. Keep a separate list of missing inputs. Prepare a first draft, then compare it with the topic-specific checks above. Ask another person to follow your references without explaining them verbally. Record where they hesitate, what information they cannot locate and any different interpretation. Keep a brief review log with four columns: observation, proposed action, responsible reviewer and closure evidence. Revise the example and repeat the information-finding check. Your evidence of completion is the revised demonstration record plus that log, not simply time spent reading. Do not upload client information to the academy or practise on operating equipment.
What good completion looks like
A useful result can be understood by someone who did not prepare it. They can identify its purpose, applicable item, source and review status, and they can distinguish confirmed information from unresolved questions. Pay particular attention to this failure mode: Keep the superseded issue for traceability but remove it from the current-use folder. Check the output in the format the recipient will use. A native file, spreadsheet and exported PDF can expose different problems. Keep the source revision and the issued output linked, and record any limitations of the handover. On a real project, follow the customer's authorised checking and approval arrangements before the information is used. The knowledge check below tests understanding of this lesson; it does not assess practical competence or authorise regulated work.
Practical workflow
- Establish the source: identify the approved input, document revision and person responsible for its technical content. Record missing information as an open question.
- Prepare a small representative example before applying the approach to a whole project. Check identifiers, units, references and the intended reader’s needs.
- Ask the nominated reviewer to check technical meaning. Capture the response, resolve comments and issue only under the agreed document-control process.
Review checklist
- Can another reader identify the source and applicable revision?
- Are assumptions and unresolved decisions clearly recorded?
- Is there evidence of the required review before issue?
Educational material and demonstration examples. Not accredited training, practical competency assessment or authority to perform regulated work. Use current approved sources and your responsible technical authority on real projects.