Documentum Terminology

To modify a document you must first check it out from Documentum. Check Out applies a lock to the document so no other user can modify the same version. Check In removes the lock, adds the updated file to the Docbase and applies a new Version number to the file.

The Lock Owner will see a key in front of the document name in the Results Pane, indicating that you have checked this document out and locked it:

Other users will see a padlock in front of the document name in the Results Pane, indicating that someone else has locked this document for editing. To edit this document, you must contact the Lock Owner or wait for the lock to be released:

Check Out

When you chose to Check Out a document from Documentum, a lock is applied to the document so no other user can modify the same version. The document is not opened in an editing application. The Lock Owner can access the document from its folder or from the Dashboard, whilst other users can only open a Read-only copy of the file.

1. Navigate to and select the document
2. From the File menu or the Right-Click menu select Check Out or click O.

The document is now locked to the user.

Example: CAD users would check out CAD files before exporting them to work on locally, to prevent that version from being amended by other users at the same time.

Edit a Document

When you choose to Edit a document from Documentum, it is automatically checked out. A lock is applied to the document in the Docbase and a copy of that version of the document is made on your local drive. The document's editing application is launched and the local copy of the document is opened ready for edits to be made. When you have checked out a document, you can access the document from its folder within Documentum or from the Documentum Dashboard. Other users will not be able to edit whilst you have a document checked out, they will only be able to open a Read-only copy of the file.

1. Navigate to and select the document
2. From the File menu or the Right-Click menu select Edit or click E

When the updates to the document are complete, click Save to save the changes locally.

The updated document now needs to be copied back to Documentum and checked in as the latest version, which will then be unlocked and made available to other users to modify, as required.

Check In

1. Navigate to and select the document
2. If you have navigated away from the document's folder, follow the link in the Dashboard to display checked out documents

3. From the File menu or the Right-Click menu select Check In or click I

1. Save as: select minor or major version, as required
2. Enter document properties, as required
3. Click OK to complete Check In

Cancelling Check Out

If you choose this option, any changes made to the document since the document was last Checked In are discarded and the document is unlocked in the Docbase.

1. Navigate to and select the document
2. From the File menu or the Right-Click menu select Cancel Check Out
3. The Cancel Check Out screen is displayed, click OK to confirm

Example: Use if the document was opened in error and needs to be returned to its current version.