• Create only versions from the latest version

• Create a branch to modify the content from the older topic, map, or publication version for older product releases and you have already started work on the new release.

Localization projects

For localization projects, you might have more than one version for the publication and map/topics within it for each product release. For example:

1. V12 for Product Release 8.1 [Draft and work in progress]

2. V 11 for Product Release 8.0 GA

3. V 10 for Product Release 8.0 [Object released for localization 100% drop]

4. V 9 for Product Release 7.2.3 updates

5. V 8 for Product Release 7.2.3 [Object is released and content frozen]

Why should you avoid branches

• Branches are not visible in the repository and the publication baseline

• Branches are easy to miss out

• The next main version does not reflect the changes made in the branch.

  In the example, version 9 does not reflect the changes from version 8.1.1, 8.1.2, and 8.1.3. You must add changes made in the branch again in version 9, which the writer might easily miss out thus making the content incomplete in the latest versions.

• You can view the branch only from the Version field in the repository and the Version selection pane in Publication Manager

When should you create a branch

Create a branch from the older version of the publication, map, or a topic:

• When you already have a draft version for the current product release

• When you need to update the content for the older product releases