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Document Names Getting Overwritten

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Level 4
Good morning Folks, I have a bit of an odd question for you. I've heard a half-dozen complaints from my users about Workfront filenames getting overwritten when they drag/drop a new version of a file on top of the existing file. The scenario: Original Workfront filename on local system: ThePiece.pdf A designer uploads the first version to Workfront and updates the file name in Workfront to be: ThePiece _D .pdf (the _D attribution identifies the file as a Design file) A designer works on a couple of revisions locally and might create copies of the original file to keep track of different design options. Lets say they create: ThePiece_WithHighContrast.pdf and ThePiece_InBlackAndWhite.pdf They drag these versions on top of ThePiece_D.pdf. Workfront USED to keep the ThePiece_D.pdf filename. In doing so, designers could upload several different design options and compare them side by side in proofing. Maintaining filename, version history and all the comments captured under the singular Design file. Recently, Workfront started to overwrite the ThePiece_D.pdf file name with the local filename (eg. ThePiece_WithHighContrast.pdf for version 2, and then again with ThePiece_WithBlackAndWhite.pdf for version 3). This behavior forces our staff to rename the Workfront file back to ThePiece_D.pdf in order to maintain process compliance. Our project tasks instruct users to review and comment on the _D file. I hope that makes sense. It is unclear when this changed, but some users indicate they first saw the behavior surface this summer, others indicate they only noticed it in the last few weeks. In a former life I was a product feature PM so I could imagine a situation where a Workfront PM would consider the filename NOT being overwritten by the file being dropped over the top of the existing file as a bug. As a PM I might argue that all file attributes should get updated by the new file. My question is this: do we know if THAT is the design goal or is the filename supposed to hold regardless of the name of the file being dropped on top? I'm trying to decide whether to revise our procedures to address this new design OR change nothing and await a fix from Workfront. Rick MacDuffie Symetra Life Insurance Company
7 Replies

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Level 10
I haven't seen any documentation in the past two feature releases about this and there's nothing in the known issues section, plus, haven't really heard anyone commenting in Community although it's likely I missed some conversation. I would suggest submitting it to the helpdesk asking about whether it was intended or not. -skye

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Level 2
We actually have one department that likes the feature, and one that does one. One of them likes the fact that the file name changes each time so we can see the name of the version we are on from the beginning. The other one doesn't like it because they use screen shots and just want to click and drag them over. We have noticed it in the last few weeks - about the time that the new design update came out with the gridlines. I don't think it is a bug. Ironically enough it's something i was hoping they would do eventually. Lauren McCollim, M.B.A, PMP Advertising Project Manager Pensacola Christian College

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Employee
Hello all, I believe this is working as designed and was part of the 2019.4 release (if I'm reading your question and the release notes correctly!) ( Full release page is here .) I can understand how it changes things for you, but I know I've seen other comments on here that this is what a lot of people did want. Hopefully this helps! Thanks, Kyna

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Level 10
thanks Kyna! I guess it's time to get my eyes checked :) -skye

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Employee
Of course! There's always a lot going on this time of year, so I'm glad I was able to help! (and this one wasn't text mode so I actually could! I'm not as smart as all of you when it comes to that!)

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Level 9
I can't figure out which way I like better. On the one hand, I liked the idea of having the file name static so regardless of what version you're on, your file name is and you can track your various file name permutations in proof (). This way, you think of the "file" you see in Workfront as more of a folder, with all of your files and their various file names in one spot. On the other hand, my teams are pretty iterative, so seeing right away that the latest file on the server does NOT match the file name in Workfront lets you know you need to be sure you grab the correct version of the file. Anthony Pernice

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Level 10
Some people wanted the change, others didn't, most didn't know... Yet another reason why I encourage you to consider adding a custom form to your document and capturing the official name in a field. This way the name stored in the native field is irrelevant. It also gives you a ton of opportunity to incorporate your documents into process. If you follow it up with your own document reports and dashboards, then you can get away from relying solely on Workfront's ever-changing native tools. Narayan Raum - Admin @ Truist Financial, WF-Pro.com Creator Lean More at the WFPro Post https://tinyurl.com/TheWFProCommunityPost #WFPro