Documentation Authority, Versioning, and Records Policy

1. Purpose

This policy establishes the authority, lifecycle, versioning, preservation, and citation rules for Sustainable Catalyst documentation. It is intended to prevent ambiguity between current web pages, PDFs, repository files, product versions, drafts, and historical records.

2. Document identifiers

Governed Foundation Documents use stable identifiers such as SC-FND-001. The identifier remains stable when a title changes. Product, method, source, release, and historical records may use their own controlled identifier families.

3. Authority hierarchy

1. Institutional Charter.
2. Principles and institution-wide standards.
3. Policies and methodology records.
4. Platform architecture and product records.
5. Release-specific implementation records.
6. Historical and superseded records.

4. Status vocabulary

• Draft: working record with no institutional authority.
• Under Review: complete proposed record undergoing approval.
• Current Approved Record: approved current authority.
• Current Living Document: maintained authoritative HTML record expected to evolve through governed revision.
• Fixed Approved Snapshot: immutable approved edition, normally a PDF.
• Superseded: former authority replaced by a named current record.
• Withdrawn: removed from current use without a replacement authority.
• Historical Record: preserved for documentary value without current governing authority.

5. Canonical record types

A living HTML record may govern the current statement while PDFs preserve dated editions. A repository file may control technical behavior where the document explicitly says so. Historical records are preserved but do not govern current practice.

6. Versioning

Foundation Documents use semantic-style versions. Major versions represent substantial changes in authority, scope, or structure. Minor versions add or revise material requirements without replacing the document’s identity. Patch versions correct limited errors or clarify wording without changing the governing intent.

7. Effective and review dates

Effective date identifies when an approved record begins to govern. Last reviewed identifies the latest formal review, not merely a file edit. Review cycles establish expected reassessment and do not imply automatic expiration unless stated.

8. Lifecycle

1. Draft and assign stable identity.
2. Conduct editorial, technical, institutional, accessibility, and legal review as applicable.
3. Approve and publish with version, status, owner, effective date, and revision summary.
4. Monitor corrections, dependencies, and scheduled review.
5. Revise, supersede, withdraw, or archive with visible relationships.
6. Preserve fixed editions and source records in the Knowledge Library.

9. Supersession

A superseding record should identify the earlier record. The earlier record should display its replacement and cease to appear as current authority. Supersession does not require deletion; preservation supports accountability and historical interpretation.

10. Corrections

Typographical corrections may use a patch revision. Material factual, methodological, policy, or scope changes require a visible revision summary. Corrections should not erase the evidence that an earlier version existed.

11. PDFs and exports

A PDF must identify document ID, version, status, generation date, and canonical URL. A PDF is authoritative only when the metadata identifies it as the fixed controlling record. Otherwise it is a snapshot of the living record.

12. Repository documentation

Repository READMEs, schemas, changelogs, and release notes govern implementation only within their stated scope. They should link to institution-wide requirements rather than redefine them inconsistently.

13. Product version versus document version

A product version and a document version are separate. A product brief may describe multiple releases. A version label in a page hero must not be interpreted as the current plugin, backend, schema, or document version unless the context identifies it.

14. Citation

Approved records should provide a stable title, institutional author, year, version, publisher, canonical URL, and fixed-edition link where available. Citations should specify the version used when policy or method changes could affect interpretation.

15. Retention

Approved, superseded, withdrawn, and historically significant drafts should be retained according to their value, legal obligations, privacy, security, and storage constraints. Routine build artifacts and duplicate files may be removed when their evidentiary value is preserved elsewhere.

16. Ownership and review

Each governed record should identify an owner responsible for review coordination. Ownership means stewardship, not unrestricted authority to rewrite an approved record without the applicable review process.

Revision History