How do you collaborate on a document if your team adds edits every week, day, or hour, or more? This is where version control comes in: the process of managing different drafts, or versions, of a document.
Here at Almanac, we see version control as one more means of improving performance. It’s an essential component of project management, whether working on an internal shared network or with a third party.
Everyone’s familiar with Microsoft version control, right? Saving documents with v1, v2, or v3 in the title, or perhaps with dates and initials?
But here’s the thing: you can go much further than Microsoft version control with the best version control software and systems that offer branched versions, merged docs, tracked changes, and online collaboration tools.
Don’t know where to start? We’ll run through the best version control software options that even distributed teams can use to maximize profits and performance.
Almanac is the ultimate project management software, and thus, it’s one of the most accomplished, best version control software. The platform helps create enterprise-grade projects from the bottom up through knowledge management, document writing, team collaboration, and everything else that you need to let go of Microsoft version control and Google Drive.
What happens if you’re writing a document within a distributed team, where some members need temporary access at stages to make edits? Almanac’s Async Collaboration use case allows your team to do all the following in real-time:
The platform even gives you reports with analytics detailing how each team member has interacted with a document. And you can merge different versions of documents to create a final, approved document. That goes way past Google Drive, Microsoft, and Notion’s capabilities.
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Who hasn’t shared a Google Docs link before in 2022? Its live-editing capabilities and easy interface make collaboration a pleasure. You can even write messages to collaborators within the platform.
Google Docs has a wide range of version control features that are super intuitive. A simple click of a button links you with every version of your document and offers the option to create copies of previous versions.
You can also choose from many templates, like Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint-style slides. Some users report issues with comment history, as older versions might not save older comments. Moreover, Google Docs doesn’t allow you to merge changes for different edited versions of the same document.
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Google Docs is free to use, with no limits.
Monday.com is a project management platform that caters to big brands like Hulu, Canva, and even Coca-Cola! Like Google Docs and Almanac, Monday.com allows real-time writing and editing, letting team members collaborate seamlessly. The interface enables you to drag and drop text and share comments instantly. The platform also covers CRM (customer relations management) and sales and marketing management, but today we'll focus on its workdocs feature.
What’s great about Monday.com’s workdocs is how easy integration is with action items and workflows — every single document connects to a bigger picture. Users can also use helpful templates for:
Some reviewers cite frustration with monday.com’s workdocs limited export capabilities and occasional crashes. Overall, it's also one of the pricier in our best version control software list.
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Dropbox is a popular file-sharing system that allows team members to edit, collaborate, and record different document versions. The platform makes it easy to embed images and videos into documents and see document activity linked to other users.
The most attractive feature is likely the software’s file recovery feature, which offers comfort and security to anyone who’s lost a Microsoft Word document. However, some customers report issues with search functionality, with one severe customer lamenting a loss of all their files.
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Intellect is a document control management solution with all the bells and whistles of a typical version control software. It features extensive permissions, revision control, team member activity logs and tracking, approvals, live edits, etc.
Customers praise the platform’s user-friendly interface, technical support team, and extensive reporting for different document versions.
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Four plans — No-Code Platform, Core, Flex, & Complete
Microsoft Word is one of the most traditional on our list of the best version control software. Microsoft is a pioneer in document and word processing and a familiar name and platform for many professionals.
Version control is customizable, allowing you to use your choice naming conventions with every title and different templates. Furthermore, the platform allows you to autosave documents if you forget to do so manually.
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Microsoft Word: Free
Microsoft 365 Personal: $6.99/month
Microsoft 365 Family: $9.99/month
File Hold is a mix of document management and records management software that aims to accelerate productivity for professionals working with documents and workflows. Although some reviewers cite issues with its high learning curve and lack of user-friendliness, File Hold offers a secure method of sharing and storing documents, with customizable due dates and real-time edits.
Some notable features include impressive search functionality, document linking, and third-party integrations.
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Inquire about pricing for either of the following plans:
Logical Doc is a document management system with over 11 years of experience in the field. With 4,000 active installations, the version control software impresses clients with its information management, document processing, and records management capabilities.
It’s easy to collaborate with Logical Doc using its internal instant messaging platform, live editing, annotations, and document check-ins and outs. Most reviews are positive, with a handful citing issues with lost documents. However, the customers praised the software's responsive support team in every case.
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Qualtrax is compliance software that offers immense document management features that are relatively easy to learn. Customers cite satisfaction with the platform’s easy collaboration and enthusiastic customer support team. However, the platform’s workflows are time-consuming to master and it has limited merging capabilities.
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Out of the best version control software on this list, Almanac takes the cake with the most features for its free version. You can use Almanac for free for:
Within the free plan, you’ll still be able to collaborate with team members in writing, editing, commenting, and more on a document. Real-time edits and extensive reporting offer valuable insights to improve efficiency and, in the end, maximize profits.
Version control for documents uses different softwares than version control for developers. For developers, source code is constantly changing. Separate developers may work on different features simultaneously, changing code without the other one knowing right away. What happens if one code change isn't compatible with another? You can't tell without version control.
Some version control systems enable branching and merging, allowing developers to work independently and merge items where necessary. Furthermore, most version control systems allow commenting, sharing, and discussion during peer review. Some version control softwares for developers include Git and Github, IBM Rational Clear Case, and Beanstalk.
For version control for developers, Git is definitely one of the most popular. In terms of document version control, Google Docs is very popular. But, it doesn’t have the features that new document version control options have.
Our advice? The best version control software continues to evolve and with it come new players in the innovative field. Try Almanac's innovative version control option today.
Anyone who values accuracy, performance, and consistency absolutely needs version control. Here are some benefits you’ll experience with the best version control software:
The best version control tools does more than record document history — it enables an environment where team members can collaborate and innovate without fear of losing information or confusing the approvals process. Our opinion? That means extensive security measures and merging capabilities to maximize efficiency and comfort.Almanac.io fits the bill with extensive features at a competitive price. Ready to experience the most robust version control software on the market?
Try Almanac for free today!
