Documents that are already in the SDMS database in some form can be checked out, edited, and checked in. This feature offers source control during collaboration so that two or more people don't edit the same document at the same time with the result of one user's changes overlaying others' changes.
>> To check out/in an open document
| 1. | After you open the Microsoft Word application, you can click on Browse SDMS and locate the SDMS document that you want using the Browse SDMS pane. |
NOTE For more information about configuring the search criteria, see the section Browsing for Documents using SDMS.
| 2. | Check out an SDMS document to work on it. This will prevent other users from working on the same document until it is checked back in. Click the arrow next to a file name displayed in the filtered list and click Check Out. The document appears in a new Microsoft Word application window. |
| 3. | You can edit the document as necessary. You can even add information from other documents by locating them in the Browse SDMS pane, and displaying them by clicking Import Data using the arrow next to the file name. For more information, see section Creating a Composite Document. |
| 4. | You can edit the document directly and check it back in without closing Microsoft Word, or you can save the document on your computer, close the document, and open it again. If you do the latter, you can use the Save as feature in Microsoft Word to select the path for the document. For information about using features in Microsoft Word, see that application's Help system. |
| 5. | If you open Microsoft Word while the document is checked out, and browse for the document again, the arrow next to the file name will display Checked out by you. When you mouse-over this link, two additional options display, Checkin and Cancel Checkout, with which you can check a document back in after editing or cancel the action. |
Checking out a document enables the button Check In in the top SDMS toolbar and in the drop-down menu for the document in a filtered list displayed in the Browse SDMS pane.
| 6. | After working on a document by editing it and/or adding sections from UXML by dropping and dragging, you can check it back into the system. You typically have to log onto SDMS again by clicking Login SDMS and entering your credentials. |
| 7. | You can check a file in easily. Click Check In in the top SDMS toolbar. Alternatively, if you have the file name displayed in a filtered list, click the arrow next to the file name. |
| • | If you saved the file on your computer file system, the Select a file to checkin window opens. Navigate to the file, select it, and click Open. |
| • | The SDMS Check-In window opens. Specify file name and revision and click OK to check in the document. To back out of the action, click Cancel. |