Change Logs

The change log utility is available for FMEAs, DVP&Rs, control plans, P-Diagrams and, new in Version 2018, test plans. It controls when users will be able to edit the analysis, and also records a history of the revisions since the change log was activated.

The Change Log window shows the changes for the entire analysis while the Record Change Log window shows the changes for a particular record. Depending on the settings, the log can record:

The date and time of the change.
The user who made the change.
The type of change (e.g., Add, Edit, Delete).
The record that was changed and the specific property.
The value before the change and the value after.
The reason (or justification) that the user provided at the time of the change.

If desired, the change log utility can also be used to facilitate electronic approval tracking by storing an electronic record of the users who have reviewed and approved each version of an analysis.

Change Log Icons and Statuses

When a change log has been activated for an analysis, the icon on the tab in the Analysis panel (and in the FMEA, Test Plan, DVP&R, Control Plan or P-Diagram column in the System panel, if displayed) will indicate that the change log is in one of two states:

No Revision Started: The analysis is locked and no revision has started. The analysis is read-only for all users.

Revision Started: The analysis is open for modifications because an authorized user has started a revision.

In addition, the following status labels are displayed in the Version column of the change log window. These labels are also displayed in the system hierarchy panel if the Include change log version in analysis columns option is selected on the System Hierarchy page of the Application Setup.

In Progress - a revision to the analysis is currently in progress.
Locked - the analysis is locked for editing and there are no assigned approvers.
Awaiting Approval - the analysis is locked for editing and one or more assigned approvers still need to review. If you are assigned to approve the version, this label will be shown in red.
Approved - the analysis is locked for editing and all of the assigned approvers have electronically recorded their approval.

Storing Data from Prior Analysis Versions

Even when a change log is active, the software does not automatically maintain a complete copy of the analysis as it was at a given time prior to subsequent modification. However, there are several ways to manually store a complete copy of the analysis if you need it. For example, you can:

Use the Restore Points feature to store a complete backup of the project at a given time.
Create a duplicate of the project each time a version has been completed.
Generate a report for each completed version and either attach it to the item or save it with the project.
Copy and paste the item within the project or to another project.

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