Versioning lets you create a new version of a screen which you can change and update while keeping the original version live and in use by other users. You do not have to take the screen down, and nobody will be able to see your changes until you’re finished.
When you’re done making changes, you can “publish” the new version so all your users will see it. If you aren’t happy with the changes, you can always revert to the previous version.
Accessing a Screen's Versions
A screen can have multiple versions. In the below example, we will access the versions of the Contacts List inside the Contacts App.
NOTE: Stock screens, such as the Contacts List screen, cannot be edited and thus you cannot see its versions. In the below example, we are viewing the versions of a copied Contacts List screen.
On the app you wish to see the versions, click the vertical ellipsis [
⋮] and select the Manage link.
Once in the Screen Management of the app, select the vertical ellipsis
⋮of the screen you wish to access the versions of, and select Versions.
There are a few other things to note about versions here.
Versions are on a screen basis, not an app basis. You cannot create a version for the entire app.
A version is different than a copy of a screen.
Viewing a Screen's Versions
When you click on the Versions option in any screen, you’ll be taken to a page where you can view all the versions that exist for this screen.
Each version shows:
A unique version number (assigned sequentially).
When it was modified.
Who modified the version.
There are three types of versions:
Other than the Published type, each version also offers you three courses of action:
Copy (from vertical ellipsis [
⋮] menu) - make a duplicate of the version which will be a new Draft version. It will be given the next sequential version number (so if you’re making a copy of Version 1, the copy will be called Version 2).Delete (from vertical ellipsis [
⋮] menu): delete the version. This cannot be undone. You are unable to delete the Published Version.Manage: Used to publish versions and set users. See below.
Each user can only be set to one version at a time. With multiple versions, how do you know which version you are looking at? The person icon indicates which version you would see if you were to use the screen in Method.
NOTE: If the person icon is not visible, then you are using the Published version, the default version.
PUBLISHED VERSION
If a version is Published, it's the one all users of the app see and use by default, unless they are manually assigned to a different version. There can only be one published version of a screen at any time, and it can only be copied. It can’t be edited or deleted.
In order to publish this screen, you will need to Manage a draft or archived version.
DRAFT VERSIONS
Draft versions are not seen by a Method user, unless the user is set to view the version instead of the published version. This allows you to edit the draft without worry of impacting other users.
When a screen is first created, it defaults to Draft mode and has no published version.
You can set yourself or another user to use a draft version by clicking Manage.
If there is no published version, then all users will use that draft version.
To create a new draft version, copy any other version.
NOTE: Although you can have multiple draft versions, it is best practice to only have one draft version at a time so as not to be confused which one is being worked on.
ARCHIVED VERSIONS
An Archived version is a version that is no longer used.
A published version is automatically set to archived when another version is published.
Draft versions can be manually set to archived.
Although you cannot edit an archive version, you can copy and delete it.
You can set yourself or another user to use an archived version by clicking Manage.
Managing Versions
Clicking the Manage link on a Draft version or an Archived version allows you to:
Publish the version
Archive the version
Manage users to use that version
View the version notes for that version
Under Users viewing this draft version, you will see a list of people using the current draft version. Clicking Manage will take you to a new screen where you can add or remove users from using that version.
Add User - Select a user from the dropdown, and click Add user to have that user use the current version.
Revert user to published version - Remove the user from using the current version. They will revert back to the published version.