Document Revision in Windchill

[Markh74]

Good day

I am new to Windchill and I am trying to synchronize my Windchill Revision numbers with the Documents.

Let me give an example scenario below.

1) Create New Document from local file - A.1

2) Document is edited by user until complete and checked in / replace content - A.2

3) Final draft of document is ready for review and approval, saved as pdf for review and signature. Document Checked in - A.3 and pdf sent out for Review and signature as A.3.

4) 2 weeks later pdf is returned (reviewed, approved and signed as A.3)

5) When i check it in as attachment to Document A.3 it then becomes A.4 but it is not A.4 it is A.3 Signed.

What tips does anyone have to add attachments etc without changing the revision.?

Regards

[Hari_Vara]

Hi,

I think in Step 4, the document should have been locked for Edit ("Released" ). Please check if the document in windchill is still in "In Work" state.

If yes, then your approval process should make the document to "Released".

Usually, best practice in the Approval process is to automatically attached the PDF (in a PDF generator).

Basically, as a non-admin user ,you must not be allowed to check out and check in the A.3 document (As it must have been locked ("Released").

DId you check this with a non-admin user is my next question.

We will get there.

Best Regards

Hari

[BenLoosli]

Are you using a Promotion Request workflow? 

I would advice against using the iterations in your release process. The document is released at Rev A no matter what the iteration. Lock the document while it is in the review process, then let the workflow do the release.

[avillanueva]

Let's change your terms a bit. The number is the iteration not the revision. Don't beat yourself up trying to control that. A is your revision (or version some would say) and that has not changed. Our process expects there to be some minor updates after approval but before release. It should also be possible to show that the differences between the iteration did not impact primary content but only attachments if you are concerned from an audit perspective. @BenLoosli, I was thinking the same thing about Promotion process in that you are stuck with the iteration linked. I think there is a way to refresh them.

[d_graham]

@avillanueva 

FYI, There is OOTB API to refresh promotion requests.

[avillanueva]

This right?

com.ptc.windchill.enterprise.maturity.PromotionNoticeWorkflowHelper.refresh(pn);

I do make use of this.

[HelesicPetr]

My point of view.

They don't use the Windchill process capabilities. 

PDF is send to someone to sing it .This is not ideal In my opinion.

I would say that the PDF should be autogenerated after the process is approved with signature of the approver and no one can cares if it is A.3 or A.4 version. It should be automatically done for the just released version. 

@Markh74 describes the manual process to send the PDF to someone to sing it out of the system and receive it back.

It is manual process that can be automated. 

PetrH

[jbailey]

Is there a reason the PDF has to leave the system for PDF signatures, and not using the electronic signature mechanism in Windchill and have those folks as part of the workflow?

[avillanueva]

We've wrestled with the same thing and I see it play out with each new system that has a review and signoff process. The two are different and when you combine them, you have to account for many outcomes. People can get used to signing without reading (rubber stampers). They can not sign and kick it back with changes? They can sign but make minor nits. What happens to people who have previously signed? Should they have to re-sign with each change? 

We tried to move away from wet signatures (which forces document scanning) but pockets still exist. Vast majority use the Promotion process and CN process as a stand in for signatures on the document. A note directs readers that signatures are captured in the PLM system to look there, Those outside the PLM release process have opted to use Adobe e-signing which solves the scanning process but locks you to that PDF file. What if the PDF is regenerated from the source Word?

Personally, I view the PDF is a published format. The native source (Office or other) should be captured on the document object and a PDF is created during the final release as a "locked" format, though we all know PDFs are still editable. If we add a bit of trust to the process, we can move through the review and signoff steps while still allowing cleanup, finalization and administrative change to occur without sending you back to the beginning.