Make the decision

A file name such as final-v7-new does not tell a reader whether a document is approved or still being discussed. Use a consistent naming pattern with subject, date and status. Inside the document, repeat the status in a visible place and identify the owner for questions. Distinguish a working draft from an approved reference. The aim is not elaborate administration; it is preventing two people from negotiating against different versions without noticing.

Put it into practice

Maintain one clearly identified location for the current approved document. When replacing it, check links in profiles, emails and campaign pages. If an old version must remain accessible for historical reasons, mark it as superseded and point readers to the current reference where appropriate. Record material changes in a short note. Do not change a date merely to make unchanged material appear new; dates should help the reader understand what was actually reviewed.

Imagine this

Hypothetical example

A territory proposal changes its implementation assumptions. The team publishes a dated discussion version, highlights the changed assumptions and labels the previous copy as superseded. A prospective partner can now ask questions about the correct document instead of comparing two unexplained PDFs.

Make it practical.

Use this checklist as you read. Checks are not stored.

References & further reading

Further reading: Google Drive: Share files ↗

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