Version control is a crucial aspect of managing shared content components in DITA pharmaceutical documentation. It ensures that content remains consistent, accurate, and up-to-date across various documents and throughout the documentation lifecycle.

Versioning Content Components

In DITA, individual content components, such as topics and reusable elements, can be versioned. Each component is assigned a version number or identifier, allowing content creators and managers to track changes and updates. Versioning helps maintain a clear history of modifications and ensures that the most recent and approved versions are used in documents.

Tracking Changes and Revisions

Version control tools integrated with DITA enable users to track changes and revisions at a granular level. They can compare different versions of a content component to identify modifications, additions, or deletions. This level of detail is especially valuable in the pharmaceutical industry, where accuracy and compliance are paramount.

Example:

Here’s an example of version control applied to a DITA content component:

<topic id="drug_monograph">
  <title>Drug Monograph</title>
  <version>1.0</version>
  <last-revised>2023-07-01</last-revised>
  <content>...
  <revisions>
    <revision version="1.1">
      <date>2023-08-15</date>
      <author>Jane Smith</author>
      <changes>Updated dosage information.</changes>
    </revision>
    <revision version="1.2">
      <date>2023-09-20</date>
      <author>John Doe</author>
      <changes>Revised side effects section.</changes>
    </revision>
  </revisions>

In this example, a DITA topic titled “Drug Monograph” has multiple revisions with version numbers and detailed records of changes made by different authors on specific dates. This ensures transparency and accountability in maintaining content quality and compliance.