Documents and AI
When a new version arrives
Replace without losing the previous one, and know which was valid when.
Insurance renews, a certificate is reissued, a contract gets an amendment. The natural move would be to delete the old and put up the new, and that is precisely what not to do: the old one is what proves what was valid last year.
How it works
- 1
Upload the new document in the same place, not as a separate one.
- 2
It becomes the current version automatically.
- 3
The previous one stays viewable, marked as superseded.
Why keeping the previous one matters
| Question that arrives | What answers it |
|---|---|
| Were they insured in March? | The version current in March, not today's |
| When was it renewed? | Each version's delivery date |
| Did anything change between them? | Both, side by side |
Important
Uploading a renewal as a separate new document instead of a version is the mistake that most clutters a case: you end up with six loose insurance policies and no idea which was valid on which date.
Watch out
Replacing is not the same as correcting a misread value. If the document is fine and what is wrong is what was extracted, correct the value; do not ask for another document.
›Can I go back to a previous version?
You can view and download it; the current one changes by uploading whichever should be.
›How many versions are kept?
All of them, within your retention policy.
›Is anyone notified when a version is uploaded?
Whoever has to approve it, if that request required approval.
A real case
The situation
A supplier has sent renewed insurance every January for four years.
What you do
- Each one is uploaded as a version over the previous
What you get
Faced with a 2024 claim, they can show exactly the policy in force on that day.
The situation
A new version arrives and replaces the previous one.
What you do
- Keeps both with their dates
What you get
You can say what applied at each moment.
The situation
Nobody knows what changed from the previous version.
What you do
- Compares the two versions
What you get
The change is visible without reading it through.
The situation
Work continues on the old version.
What you do
- Marks which one is current
What you get
The team uses the right one.
The situation
A client asks for the version they were given.
What you do
- Checks which version covered that delivery
What you get
The right one is provided.
The situation
The new version arrives and nobody tells its users.
What you do
- Notifies whoever has the previous one assigned
What you get
The change reaches whoever it affects.
This article answers
- upload a new version of a document
- the supplier sends the renewed insurance
- view previous versions of a file
- replace a document without deleting it