Best ways to save different versions of the same document e.g an invoice

[HydroJLW]

Hi,

Aplogies if this is more sraightforward than I am making it, I just want to use the best method going forwards.

I am using Affinity Publisher to create invoices and I have a template that I use and update with each new invoice before exporting a new PDF file. As I would like to save a version of each invoice pre-export, so that I can revisit and edit if needed, I just wanted to ask what the best way to save each versions of these files would be.

I know that I could just save a new .af file with each invoice, but just wanted to see if there is a better way, or one that keeps all versions within one file.
I have entertained the following options; different sections/pages within Publisher, renaming layers to match each invoice, artboards for each invoice, snapshots.

Which way would be best? Is there a way to archive pages and/or have section names clearly displayed in the pages panel in Publisher.

Thank you for any advice.

Jack

[Pšenda]

In order to minimize the risk of file damage and thus loss of all data/invoices, I would recommend individual files. This also enables easier management, archiving and backup of files.

[HydroJLW]

On 4/17/2023 at 2:31 PM, Pšenda said:

In order to minimize the risk of file damage and thus loss of all data/invoices, I would recommend individual files. This also enables easier management, archiving and backup of files.

Thank you for this - I didn't even really consider the risk of file damage etc, but that is a great point. I will just do them as separate files from now, which will keep things easier to manage and hopefully avoid any catastrophes with file loss.

Cheers 👍

[thomaso]

On 4/17/2023 at 3:21 PM, HydroJLW said:

Which way would be best? Is there a way to archive pages and/or have section names clearly displayed in the pages panel in Publisher.

I use Publisher to to create invoices in just 1 .afpub even for several years with no problem. Having them all in 1 document offers the ability to scroll back to any invoice, including the search option with the Find & Replace panel, or to export a certain page area as 1 PDF (e.g. all of one year).

For different layouts I use master pages, for instance when a content or design parameter changes, e.g. a detail like my phone or account number, the font, columns etc.

To distinguish the years (or whatever kind of wanted sections) I add a "separator master page" which contains an obvious background colour + quite large (huge) text notes that are recognizable even on the thumbnails in the Pages Panel.

This .afpub exists in two versions only: Occasionally I toggle via Save As between them to reduce data garbage in the .afpub and thus possibly increase its stability.

Besides the usual backup (macOS timemachine) I also 'understand' my bunch of exported PDF as 'extra' backups which I could use alternatively to restore/edit as .afpub.

[user_0815]

Over the years I've tried several ways and apps for invoicing. At some point I stuck with the easiest possible way. A master template file which generates the individual invoices. The template never changes. The Invoices are saved via Save as...  and as a PDF. So two files per invoice. For ongoing customers I usually duplicate the last invoice and edit it. Each year exists in it's own folder. The template is on top and the finished invoices are listed below.

[HydroJLW]

18 hours ago, user_0815 said:

Over the years I've tried several ways and apps for invoicing. At some point I stuck with the easiest possible way. A master template file which generates the individual invoices. The template never changes. The Invoices are saved via Save as...  and as a PDF. So two files per invoice. For ongoing customers I usually duplicate the last invoice and edit it. Each year exists in it's own folder. The template is on top and the finished invoices are listed below.

Thank you for the comment. Yeah, this is mostly what I am doing at the moment but hadn't been saving a new .af file with each invoice - which I have now just started to do!

I think this way probably does make the most sense in terms of organisation, ease of use and also file/backup safety 👍