Configuring Wiki Versions

Wiki versioning enables administrators to maintain multiple sets of documentation within a single wiki. Versions allow organizations to manage parallel documentation for different product releases, API versions, platform editions, or phased rollouts while controlling which content is visible to users at any given time.

When versioning is enabled, users see a version selector in the wiki sidebar and can switch between available versions while browsing. Each version presents its own set of pages, allowing users to access documentation specific to their product version or use case without navigating to separate wikis.

Understanding Wiki Versioning

Wiki versioning is designed for scenarios where documentation varies across different releases or configurations. Rather than creating separate wikis for each version, versioning allows you to maintain all documentation in a single location with version-specific page assignments.

Common Use Cases

• Product Documentation – Maintain user guides for multiple product versions (for example, Version 1.0, Version 2.0, Version 3.0) where features and procedures differ between releases.
• API Documentation – Provide developer documentation for different API versions where endpoints, parameters, or behaviors have changed.
• Platform Editions – Offer documentation tailored to different platform editions or service tiers where available features vary.
• Phased Rollouts – Prepare documentation for upcoming releases while maintaining current documentation for existing users.

How Versioning Works

When versioning is enabled on a wiki:

• A version selector dropdown appears in the wiki sidebar for end users.
• Users select which version to browse, and the sidebar navigation displays only pages assigned to that version.
• Pages can be assigned to one or more versions, allowing shared content across versions when appropriate.
• Pages must be assigned to at least one version before they can be published.
• One version is designated as the "Current Version," which serves as the default when users first access the wiki.

Enabling Wiki Versioning

Versioning must be enabled on the wiki before versions can be created and pages can be assigned.

Requirements

To enable versioning, you must have one of the following:

• Administrator system role
• Manage permission on the wiki (granted through sharing)

To Enable Versioning

1. Navigate to Setup and click Create > Wikis.
2. Click the wiki name to open it.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. Check Enable Wiki Versioning Filter.
5. Click Save.

Once enabled, the Versions tab becomes active and you can begin creating versions.

Navigating to the Versions Tab

The Versions tab is where all version management is performed, including creating versions, configuring visibility, and assigning pages.

To Access the Versions Tab

1. Navigate to Setup and click Create > Wikis.
2. Click the wiki name to open it.
3. Click the Versions tab.

The Versions tab displays a table listing all versions defined for the wiki.

Understanding the Versions Table

The Versions table provides an overview of all configured versions and their current status. Each row represents a single version with the following information:

• Actions – Row-level menu for editing, deleting, or managing page assignments for the version.
• Name – The display name of the version shown to users in the version selector.
• Current Version – Indicates which version is designated as the default version users see when first accessing the wiki.
• Visible – Controls whether the version appears in the version selector for end users.
• Modified By – Displays the user who last modified the version and the timestamp.
• Sort – Controls the display order of versions in the version selector.

Creating a Version

Create versions to represent different documentation sets within your wiki.

Requirements

To create versions, you must have one of the following:

• Administrator system role
• Manage permission on the wiki (granted through sharing)

To Create a Version

1. From the Versions tab, click New Version.
2. Configure the version fields as described below.
3. Click Save.

Version Fields

Name (Required)

Enter a display name for the version. This name appears in the version selector dropdown when users browse the wiki. Use clear, recognizable names such as "Version 1.0," "Version 2.0," "2025 Release," or "API v3."

Current Version (Optional)

Check this option to designate the version as the default. When users first access the wiki, the Current Version is automatically selected in the version dropdown. Only one version can be marked as Current Version at a time. Selecting this option automatically removes the Current designation from any other version.

Visible (Optional)

Check this option to make the version available to end users in the version selector. When unchecked, the version is hidden from users but remains available for administrative editing and page assignment. Use this to prepare upcoming versions before making them available to users.

Editing a Version

Modify version settings to update names, change the current version designation, or adjust visibility.

To Edit a Version

1. From the Versions tab, click the Actions menu next to the version you want to edit.
2. Select Edit.
3. Update the fields as needed.
4. Click Save.

Changes take effect immediately. If you change the Current Version designation, users accessing the wiki will see the newly designated version by default.

Sorting Versions

The order of versions in the Versions table determines the order they appear in the version selector dropdown for end users.

To Reorder Versions

1. From the Versions tab, use the Sort controls in the rightmost column to move versions up or down.

The version at the top of the list appears first in the dropdown. Arrange versions in the order most useful for your users, such as newest to oldest or by product line.

Managing Page Assignments

Page assignments determine which pages appear when users browse a specific version. The Manage Pages interface allows you to assign and remove pages from versions efficiently, including bulk operations for managing large page sets.

To Manage Page Assignments

1. From the Versions tab, click the Actions menu next to the version you want to manage.
2. Select Manage Pages.
3. The Manage Pages dialog opens with two tabs:
   • Not Assigned – Lists pages that exist in the wiki but are not assigned to this version.
   • Assigned – Lists pages currently included in this version.

Assigning Pages to a Version

1. In the Manage Pages dialog, click the Not Assigned tab.
2. Use the search field to filter pages by title or path if needed.
3. Select the checkboxes next to the pages you want to assign.
4. Click Add to version.

The selected pages are moved to the Assigned tab and will appear when users browse this version.

Removing Pages from a Version

1. In the Manage Pages dialog, click the Assigned tab.
2. Use the search field to filter pages by title or path if needed.
3. Select the checkboxes next to the pages you want to remove.
4. Click Remove from version.

The selected pages are moved to the Not Assigned tab and will no longer appear when users browse this version.

Deleting a Version

Delete versions that are no longer needed. Deleting a version removes the version container but does not delete the pages themselves.

Requirements

To delete a version, the following conditions must be met:

• You must have the Administrator system role or Manage permission on the wiki.
• The version must not have any published pages assigned to it exclusively (pages assigned only to this version and no other).

To Delete a Version

1. From the Versions tab, click the Actions menu next to the version you want to delete.
2. Select Delete.
3. Confirm the deletion.

When a version is deleted:

• The version is removed from the Versions table and the user-facing version selector.
• Pages that were assigned to the deleted version remain in the wiki but lose their assignment to that version.
• If a page was assigned only to the deleted version, it becomes unassigned and must be assigned to another version before it can be published.

How Versioning Appears to End Users

When versioning is enabled and at least one visible version exists, end users see a version selector dropdown in the wiki sidebar, positioned above the search field (if search is enabled) and the navigation tree.

User experience:

• When users first access the wiki, the version marked as Current Version is automatically selected.
• Users can click the version dropdown to see all visible versions and select a different one.
• When a version is selected, the sidebar navigation updates to show only categories and pages assigned to that version.
• The selected version persists as users navigate between pages within the wiki.

Disabling Versioning

If versioning is no longer needed, you can disable it from the wiki settings. When versioning is disabled:

• The version selector is hidden from end users.
• All pages are displayed regardless of version assignments.
• Existing versions and page assignments are preserved but ignored.
• Pages can be published without version assignments.

To Disable Versioning

1. Navigate to Setup and click Create > Wikis.
2. Click the wiki name to open it.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. Uncheck Enable Wiki Versioning Filter.
5. Click Save.

Versioning can be re-enabled at any time. Existing versions and assignments are restored when versioning is turned back on.

Best Practices and Recommendations

Plan Versions Before Content Creation: Determine your versioning strategy before creating extensive content. Enabling versioning later requires assigning all existing pages to versions, which can be time-consuming for large wikis.

Use Clear Version Names: Choose version names that users will immediately understand. Align naming with how your organization refers to releases (for example, "Version 2.0" or "2025 Release").

Set Current Version Appropriately: Designate the version most users need as the Current Version. This is typically the latest stable release, not an upcoming or beta version.

Prepare Versions Before Making Visible: Create new versions with Visible unchecked, assign and prepare all pages, then check Visible when ready for users. This prevents users from seeing incomplete documentation.

Share Content Across Versions When Appropriate: Assign pages to multiple versions when content applies to all versions. This reduces duplication and ensures consistent information across releases.

Review Page Assignments When Adding Versions: When creating a new version, review which existing pages should be included. Use the Manage Pages interface to efficiently assign relevant pages.

Consider Version Sort Order: Arrange versions in an order that makes sense for users, typically newest first. Adjust sorting as new versions are added.

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