Knowledge Base Article: Editing Content

This section describes how documents are edited in M-Files. Documents are first checked out for editing or co-authoring. After edits are done, documents are checked back in to the vault.

This section also covers how to enable and use the Annotations and Redlining feature, how to use object comments, workflows, and version history, and how to compare document content.

Note: For information about editing Office 365 documents with M-Files Mobile, refer to Editing Office Documents in M-Files Mobile with O365 Integration in M-Files Support Portal.

Checking Out a Document

Before you can edit a document in M-Files, you need to check it out:

• Select the document in the listing area
• Right-click and select Check Out, or use the Check Out button on the metadata card option ribbon
• The document is now checked out to you and locked for editing by others

Note: If a document is already checked out by another user, you can see who has it checked out on the metadata card.

Editing a Document

Once a document is checked out, you can open and edit it:

• Double-click the document to open it in the appropriate application
• Make your changes and save the file
• The changes are saved as a new version when you check the document back in

Checking In a Document

After making your edits, check the document back in to make it available to others:

• Right-click the document and select Check In
• Or use the Check In button on the metadata card option ribbon
• Optionally add a comment describing the changes made
• Click Check In to save the new version to the vault

Tip: You can use Undo Checkout if you want to discard your changes and release the checkout without creating a new version.

Co-authoring

M-Files supports co-authoring for documents, allowing multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously. Consult your system administrator for details on co-authoring setup in your environment.

Version History

M-Files keeps a complete version history for all documents. You can view previous versions and compare document content using the version history feature. 

Annotations and Redlining

The Annotations and Redlining feature allows you to annotate documents without checking them out. See your administrator for information on enabling this feature.

Object Comments

You can add comments to any object in M-Files without creating a new version. Click the comments icon on the metadata card to view and add comments.