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Manage Content Versions

⏱ 10 minutes beginner

Why version management matters

Section titled “Why version management matters”

Content changes over time. A product page gets updated, a campaign landing page goes through review cycles, and a legal disclaimer needs an urgent rollback. Without version history, you lose every previous state the moment you click Save. The CMS tracks every version automatically, so you can compare changes, undo mistakes, and audit who changed what.

Understand version statuses

Section titled “Understand version statuses”

Every content item carries a status that tells you where it sits in the editorial workflow.

StatusMeaning
DraftWork in progress. Not visible to site visitors.
PublishedThe live version that visitors see on the website.
Previously PublishedA former live version, replaced by a newer publish.
ExpiredWas published but passed its stop-publish date. No longer visible.
RejectedSubmitted for approval but sent back with feedback.

Only one version of a content item can be Published at any time. When you publish a new version, the current published version moves to Previously Published.

Create a new draft

Section titled “Create a new draft”

A draft lets you make changes without affecting the live page.

  1. Open the published page you want to update.
  2. Click Create Draft or start editing the page directly. The CMS creates a new draft version automatically.
  3. Make your changes.
  4. Click Save to preserve your work without publishing.
  5. Verify the page status shows Draft and the version number has incremented.

Version numbering

Section titled “Version numbering”

The CMS assigns a version number to each saved state. Version numbers increment sequentially (1, 2, 3, and so on). The published version is always highlighted in the version list so you can quickly identify the live content.

To view the version list:

  1. Open the content item.
  2. Click the Versions tab or Version History in the toolbar.
  3. Review the list showing version number, status, author, and save date for each version.

Compare versions side by side

Section titled “Compare versions side by side”

Comparing versions helps you see exactly what changed between two drafts or between a draft and the published version.

  1. Open the content item and go to the Versions tab.
  2. Select the two versions you want to compare. Use the checkboxes or comparison controls.
  3. Click Compare or Show Differences.
  4. Review the side-by-side view. Changed fields appear highlighted.
  5. Verify you are comparing the correct versions by checking the version numbers at the top of each panel.

Restore a previous version

Section titled “Restore a previous version”

If the current content has problems, you can roll back to any previous version.

  1. Open the content item and go to the Versions tab.
  2. Find the version you want to restore.
  3. Click Restore or Set as Current Draft next to that version.
  4. The CMS creates a new draft based on the old version. This does not overwrite history; it adds a new version with the old content.
  5. Review the restored content to confirm it matches what you expect.
  6. Publish the restored draft when you are satisfied.

Common issues

Section titled “Common issues”
IssueCauseFix
Cannot find a previous versionVersions may have been cleaned up by a scheduled jobAsk your administrator about version retention policies
Restore created a draft instead of publishingRestore always creates a draft for safetyPublish the new draft after reviewing it
Version list is very longMany edits over timeUse date filters or scroll to the version range you need