Version History

M-Files keeps previous versions of objects. You can return to a previous version from the object history. To open the History dialog, click the history icon () in the option ribbon of the object's metadata card.

When you create a document and check it in, the first version of the document is saved on the server. When you check out the document, make changes, and check it back in, the second version of the document is saved on the server. You can roll back to one of these document versions.

In the History dialog, the icon identifies a previous version of the object. In this example, a Microsoft Word document is shown. You cannot change the content or metadata of previous versions.

Add label to this version

You can add a label to an object version. The label is shown in the Version label column in the History dialog.

To add a label to the selected object version:

  1. Click Add Label to This Version.
  2. Select a label from the drop-down menu.

To create a version label:

  1. Click Add Label to This Version.
  2. Click the arrowhead next to the drop-down menu.
  3. Click New Value (Version label).

Clear this label from the other versions of the object

Only system administrators and users with the Full control of vault administrative permissions can use this option.

To remove the selected label from other object versions, enable Clear this version label from the other versions of the object. For example, you can make sure that only one version of a contract has the label "Approved".

Modify version details

With the Modify Version Details option, you can add one or more version labels to an object version and add a comment that will show in the History dialog. These comments are also shown in the comments view of the object's metadata card and in the comment history of the Comments function (see Object Comments).

Roll back

In the History dialog, object versions are recorded from oldest to newest. You can restore old versions with the Roll Back option.

When you do a rollback, M-Files uses the contents and metadata of the selected version to create a new version of the object. Rollback does not have an effect on the versions in between. You can use the Roll Back option only when the object is not checked out. Be careful when you roll back to an object version that has a workflow state, because the workflow state can cause unwanted actions.

Note: You must have the correct permissions for the object to restore a previous version of it. If you roll back to a version where the permission settings and the metadata of the object are changed, you must have change permissions and edit rights to the object. If only the metadata or the contents of the object are changed, you must have edit rights to the object.

Compare selected documents

To compare document content:
  1. Press and hold the Ctrl key and select two document versions.
  2. Right-click a selected version and click Compare Selected Documents.

For more information, see Comparing Documents.

Version history and permissions

To see a previous version of an object, you must have have access rights to that version and to the latest checked-in version.