Why this matters
As a Business Analyst, your documents drive alignment and decisions. Clear version control prevents rework, reduces risk, and keeps stakeholders synchronized. You will use it when:
- Updating a BRD after stakeholder feedback
- Freezing an SRS before handoff to development (baseline)
- Producing release notes for incremental changes
- Resolving conflicting edits across Confluence/SharePoint/Google Docs/Git
Concept explained simply
Version control for documentation is a lightweight system to name, track, review, approve, and retrieve document changes. You can implement it in any tool (Confluence, SharePoint, Google Docs, Git) with consistent rules.
Mental model: The “library checkout”
Imagine your document is a library book. A baseline is the official edition on the shelf. Drafts are checked-out copies being updated. When changes are approved, you publish a new edition with a clear label (e.g., 1.3.0) and a short note about what changed. Anyone can always find the latest approved edition and the history of edits.
Core practices (step-by-step)
- Adopt a simple versioning scheme
Use Major.Minor.Patch for documents:- Major (X): breaking or scope-changing updates, new baseline (e.g., 2.0.0)
- Minor (Y): new features/sections, non-breaking (e.g., 1.3.0)
- Patch (Z): small fixes like typos/grammar/formatting (e.g., 1.2.1)
- Name files/pages consistently
Pattern: [Artifact] — [Project/Module] — vX.Y.Z — [YYYY-MM-DD]- Example: BRD — Payments — v1.2.0 — 2025-03-12
- Keep a change log
At the top or bottom of the doc, maintain a table: Version, Date, Author, Type (Major/Minor/Patch), Summary, Approver. - Use baselines
Mark approved versions as Baseline. Lock or restrict editing. Future changes start from a copy/draft and follow review. - Review and approval workflow
Draft → Peer Review (comments) → Stakeholder Review (decision) → Approve → Publish new version. - Handle concurrent edits
Avoid overwrites. Use suggestions/comments in docs or branches/PRs in Git. One editor merges feedback and publishes. - Access and retention
Restrict edit rights on baselines. Keep old versions but make the latest baseline discoverable.
Worked examples
Example 1: Patch update for typos
Context: BRD v1.2.0 (baseline). You fix wording and a typo.
- New version: v1.2.1 (patch)
- Change log: 1.2.1 | 2025-03-20 | A. Rivera | Patch | Fixed typos in Section 3.2; no requirement changes | Approved by PM
Example 2: Minor update adding a new user story
Context: SRS v1.1.0 baseline. You add a non-breaking feature story.
- New version: v1.2.0 (minor)
- Change log: 1.2.0 | 2025-04-03 | J. Chen | Minor | Added Story US-145: refund API response codes | Approved by Architect
Example 3: Major update changing scope
Context: BRD v1.4.3. Stakeholders pivot payment provider; several flows change.
- New version: v2.0.0 (major)
- Change log: 2.0.0 | 2025-04-15 | P. Singh | Major | Switched PSP to ZetaPay; updated flows 2.1–2.4; re-estimated impacts | Approved by Steering Committee
Example 4: Resolving concurrent edits
Context: Two team members edited the Confluence page at the same time.
- Approach: One owner creates a draft copy, reviews page history, merges changes, adds inline comments to clarify assumptions, runs a quick review, then publishes v1.3.0 with a precise change log entry.
Copy-ready templates
Change log table (copy into your doc)
Version | Date | Author | Type | Summary | Approver ------- | ---------- | ----------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------- | -------- 1.2.1 | 2025-03-20 | A. Rivera | Patch | Fixed typos in 3.2; clarified term glossary | PM 1.2.0 | 2025-03-12 | J. Chen | Minor | Added refund API story US-145 | Architect 2.0.0 | 2025-04-15 | P. Singh | Major | Switched PSP to ZetaPay; updated flows 2.1–2.4| Steering Committee
File/page naming pattern
[Artifact] — [Project/Module] — vX.Y.Z — [YYYY-MM-DD] Example: SRS — Checkout — v1.3.0 — 2025-04-03
Approval checklist
- All stakeholder comments resolved
- Impact analysis noted (if needed)
- Change log updated
- Version label updated on title/name
- Baseline tag applied and permissions reviewed
Working across common tools
- Confluence/SharePoint/Google Docs: Use Suggestions/Comments, Page History, and a visible Change Log section. Lock baselines by permissions.
- Git/Markdown: Use branches (e.g., docs/feature-xyz), pull requests for review, and tags/releases for baselines (e.g., BRD-v1.3.0).
Exercises
Do these now. They mirror the graded exercises below.
Exercise 1: Label and log the change
Scenario: BRD — Payments — v1.2.0 (baseline). You corrected a calculation formula typo and clarified a glossary term. No scope change.
- Task A: Pick the correct next version label.
- Task B: Write a one-line change log entry.
Exercise 2: Concurrent edits resolution
Scenario: Two analysts edited the SRS simultaneously. One added error codes; another updated sequence diagrams. No conflicts in meaning, but edits happen on overlapping sections.
- Task A: Describe a safe merge approach (3–5 steps) in Confluence or Git.
- Task B: Choose the correct version bump (minor/patch/major) and justify.
Common mistakes and self-check
- Skipping the change log → Self-check: Can someone understand what changed without asking you? If not, add entries.
- Overusing major versions → Self-check: Did the scope or baseline meaningfully change? If not, it’s likely minor or patch.
- Renaming without updating the doc header/change log → Self-check: Title page and filename must match the version.
- Allowing edits on baselines → Self-check: Are permissions tightened on approved versions?
- No single owner during merging → Self-check: Assign a document owner for final merge decisions.
Practical projects
- Create a versioning policy one-pager for your team with examples and a checklist.
- Take an existing BA artifact (BRD/SRS). Add a change log, apply version labels, and baseline it. Simulate two updates (patch and minor).
- Set up a documentation workflow in your tool of choice (Confluence/SharePoint/Docs/Git) including permissions for baselines and a review path.
Mini challenge
Scenario: You add a new non-breaking acceptance criterion to an existing user story and fix two typos elsewhere. What’s the correct version bump?
Reveal answer
Minor. The new acceptance criterion is a small feature addition; typos are patch-level but the highest change type applies.
Learning path
- Start: Version labels, change logs, and baselines
- Then: Review/approval workflows and permissions
- Advanced: Concurrent edit strategies and Git-based documentation
Who this is for
- Business Analysts handling BRDs, SRS, user stories, and process docs
- Product Owners and QA who depend on clear baselines
- Anyone documenting requirements in collaborative tools
Prerequisites
- Basic understanding of BA artifacts (BRD, SRS, user stories)
- Familiarity with at least one collaboration tool (Confluence/SharePoint/Docs) or Git basics
Next steps
- Apply the naming pattern and change log to one live document this week
- Agree a review/approval workflow with your team
- Take the quick test to confirm you can pick correct version bumps