I have been tasked with developing a way to "Obsolete" or "Do Not Use" files within a project. We do not want to get rid of them but isolate them so that we have our design trail. We have multiple times when a model revised to the point where it becomes a completely new design. (new model number, etc.) Can EPDM be set (in the workflows) to "lock out" these old designs? Any ideas on how you've all handled this?
You could just easily add an Obsolete state in your existing workflow. Just make sure you set the permission to only allow Read File Contents, that way no one can check them out and modify them.
We did what Steve O. suggested with a bit of a twist. Allowing "Read File Contents" will not prevent someone from using the part in a "new" design. To prevent this, we do not let anyone even read the file contents except for the Admin user. If the part is no longer being used in any assembly, you may choose to do this as well.
Mike
EPDM 2011 SP2
It all sounds good...I guess we are developing a project "close out" process (workflow) to address all the data. I think waht I shall do is in the case of CAD models, etc. I will mark them obsolete and "lock them" from view except by the admin (me). The rest of the documentation will be moved to read only by permissions. Seems to be the best of both worlds...
Thanks
We created a separate "Obsolete" workflow in which the files end up in an "Obsolete" state. They cannot be moved from this state or checked out while at this state. In other words, they are locked. We took it a step further and created some custom code that does not allow another document to change states if one of it's children is at this obsolete state.