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Change History

When change reasons are enabled and used, OSPROV maintains a complete audit trail of all form modifications. This change history provides detailed information about when changes were made, by whom, and why.

Accessing Change History​

Complete Change History View​

From Form Details​

  1. Go to Forms → Forms List
  2. Click on any form name to view details
  3. Scroll down to see the "Change History" section

What You'll See​

  • Timeline View: Chronological list of all changes, newest first
  • Change Details: Full reason text for each change
  • User Attribution: Name and profile of who made each change
  • Timestamps: Exact date and time of changes (in your local timezone)
  • Version Information: Which version each change relates to

Quick Change Summary​

In Version Index​

  1. Go to Forms → Forms List
  2. Click on a form's version link (if multiple versions exist)
  3. View the "Change Reason" column in the version table

Summary Information Displayed​

  • Reason Preview: First 50 characters of the change reason
  • Full Reason: Hover over truncated text to see the complete reason
  • Changed By: Name of the user who made the change
  • Change Date: When the change was published

Understanding the Version Index​

Table Layout​

The version index table includes these columns:

ColumnDescriptionExample
#Sequential row number1, 2, 3...
NameForm name with system ID"Employee Onboarding (EMP-001)"
Total SubmissionsNumber of form submissions received45
VersionOSPROV version identifier1.0, 1.1, 2.0
StatusCurrent form statusPublished, Draft
Change ReasonWhy the change was made"Fixed validation issues..."
ActionsAvailable form actionsEdit, Publish, Delete

Reading Change Reason Information​

The Change Reason column displays information in this format:

Fixed validation issues and updat... ← Truncated reason (hover for full text)
Changed by John Smith               ← User who made the change  
on Jan 15, 2025 2:30 PM            ← Date and time of change

Status Indicators​

Published Forms:

  • Show the change reason for why they were published
  • Include full user attribution and timestamps
  • Cannot be directly edited (require creating new versions)

Draft Forms:

  • May not have change reasons if they haven't been published yet
  • Show "Draft" status instead of change information

Unpublished Forms:

  • Previous versions that are no longer active
  • Retain their original change reasons and attribution
  • Remain accessible for historical reference

Change History Features​

Immutable Records​

Once a change reason is submitted:

  • Cannot be edited or modified
  • Cannot be deleted by users
  • Permanently recorded in the audit trail
  • Backed up with all other system data

This immutability ensures audit integrity and compliance requirements.

User Attribution​

Every change record includes:

  • User Name: Full name of the person who made the change
  • User ID: System identifier for the user
  • Timestamp: Exact moment the change was published
  • IP Address: (Available to administrators for security auditing)

Version Correlation​

Change history is correlated with OSPROV's version control:

  • Each change reason corresponds to a specific form version
  • Version numbers are automatically assigned
  • Historical versions remain accessible with their change reasons
  • Branching and merging preserve change history

Using Change History for Different Purposes​

For Form Review and Approval​

Before Major Updates:

  • Review recent change history to understand form evolution
  • Check for patterns in user-reported issues or frequent changes
  • Verify that changes align with organizational standards

Quality Assurance:

  • Look for change reasons that indicate repeated fixes
  • Identify forms that may need redesign or additional testing
  • Track compliance with change management procedures

For Compliance and Auditing​

Regulatory Compliance:

  • Generate audit trails for regulatory reviews
  • Track accountability for all form modifications
  • Document compliance with change management policies

Internal Auditing:

  • Review change patterns for risk assessment
  • Verify appropriate approvals and documentation
  • Ensure changes align with business requirements

Audit Reports:

  • Export change history data for compliance reporting
  • Create timelines of form modifications
  • Track user activity and authorization levels

for Team Collaboration​

Onboarding New Team Members:

  • Review change history to understand form evolution
  • Learn from previous changes and their reasoning
  • Understand team practices and conventions

Knowledge Transfer:

  • Document institutional knowledge through change reasons
  • Preserve context when team members change roles
  • Maintain continuity in form management practices

Project Management:

  • Track project-related form changes
  • Correlate changes with project milestones
  • Measure form improvement and maintenance activities

Advanced Change History Use Cases​

Pattern Analysis​

Identifying Common Issues:

  • Look for repeated similar change reasons
  • Track forms that require frequent updates
  • Identify training needs or process improvements

Performance Metrics:

  • Measure time between form versions
  • Track user adoption of change reason features
  • Analyze complexity of changes over time

Integration with External Systems​

Ticketing Systems:

  • Reference ticket numbers in change reasons
  • Correlate form changes with support requests
  • Track resolution of user-reported issues

Change Management Systems:

  • Export change history for formal change control processes
  • Integrate with enterprise change management tools
  • Automate compliance reporting and approvals

Troubleshooting Change History​

Missing Change Information​

No Change History Visible:

  • Verify the form has been published at least once
  • Check that change reasons were required when the form was published
  • Ensure you have appropriate permissions to view form details

Partial Change Information:

  • Some changes may predate the change reason feature
  • Only changes made after feature enablement will have reasons
  • Historical changes without reasons are still tracked with basic metadata

Access Issues​

Cannot View Change History:

  • Verify you have form viewing permissions
  • Check that you're accessing the correct form
  • Contact administrator if permissions seem incorrect

Cannot See Full Change Reasons:

  • Hover over truncated text to see full reasons
  • Ensure JavaScript is enabled in your browser
  • Try refreshing the page if hover tooltips aren't working

Best Practices for Using Change History​

For Form Maintainers​

  • Review change history before making significant updates
  • Use change patterns to identify improvement opportunities
  • Reference previous changes to avoid reintroducing issues

For Managers and Reviewers​

  • Regularly audit change reasons for quality and completeness
  • Use change history for team performance reviews
  • Identify training needs based on change patterns

For Compliance Officers​

  • Establish procedures for regular change history reviews
  • Create templates for compliance reporting
  • Monitor change reason quality and adherence to policies

Change history in OSPROV provides comprehensive visibility into form evolution, supporting compliance, quality assurance, and effective team collaboration in form management.