A standard part of all Cumulus Servers sold today, the Cumulus Vault provides asset check-in and check-out services, and version control. The benefits offered by the Vault are numerous:

• You can avoid simultaneous file edits, because it’s easy to see when someone has checked out a file.
• It’s easy to track progress and changes, because users can enter descriptions of the edits they’ve made when they check files in.
• You’ll never ruin a file because of edit errors, because you can keep an unlimited number of versions. Rollback to an earlier version is easy!

And, unlike version control systems found in other DAM systems, the Cumulus Vault works with absolutely any file type!

Vault Overview

In a production environment, it’s not uncommon for someone to edit a copy of a file that someone else is already editing. The fallout of this is, of course, that someone’s edits are going to be lost when one copy of the file ultimately overwrites the other. The asset check out/in feature provided by the Cumulus Vault helps avoid these situations, because it’s clear to would be editors when a file is being worked on by a coworker.

Another benefit offered by the Cumulus Vault is the storage of multiple versions of an asset. Once a file is edited, there’s usually no way to go back to earlier versions. This can be disastrous if the edits made are wrong, or a client changes his or her mind. But, with the Vault’s version control, you have a potentially unlimited number of previous file versions available. If you need to get back to the way the file was yesterday, or even last year, it’s no problem.

The setup of the Cumulus Vault is easy, and doesn’t require any additional software or hardware. What’s more, you can start using the Vault at any time, even if your Cumulus system is not currently taking advantage of it. (See the Cumulus Admin Guide for information on setting up the Vault. See the Cumulus Client Guide for information on configuring catalogs to use the Vault.)

Checking Out Files for Editing

When you want to check out a file for editing, select it and use the Asset > Check Out menu option, or select Check Out from the context menu. When using the Cumulus Web client, Internet Client Pro, you’re asked where to save the file. When using the Cumulus native client, you’ll either be asked, or the file will be automatically saved, depending on your user settings.

The Asset menu offers access to the four commands users need when working with the Cumulus Vault: Check Out, Undo Check Out,
Check In and Show History. Similar menu options are available from the context menu.

If the idea of having Cumulus automatically save checked out files in a predetermined location appeals to you, open the Preferences window and navigate to the General tab, and then click the Application section icon. There you’ll find an option for Checkout Location. Choose the location you prefer.

When using the Cumulus native client, the checkout location you choose is important, because Cumulus will expect to find the file there when you check it back in. This prevents you from having to search for the file, but it also means you should not move a checked out file. If you do, remember to move it back to the checkout location before you attempt to check it back in.

When checking in a file using the Web client, Cumulus will always prompt you to locate the file.

If a checkout location is set in your user settings, the Cumulus native client will automatically use that location to save and retrieve checked out files.

Once a file has been checked out, you can edit it as you would any other file. There is no limit on the time you can have a file checked out, but keep in mind that no one else will be able to edit it while you have it. (Others can still access the file for read-only use, such as placement in a layout.)

Checking In Files

Once your edits are complete, find the file’s asset record in Cumulus, select it and select Asset > Check In, or choose Check In from the context menu. If you’re using the native client, Cumulus will look for the file at the location it was saved during the check out operation. Once it’s found and copied back to the Vault, Cumulus will delete the file from the checkout location.

If you’re using the Internet client, you’ll be asked to find the file, and you’ll need to delete the checked out file manually.

In both cases, you’re given the option to enter a description of the edits you made. Once you’re done, the file is checked back into Cumulus as a new version.

Undoing Check Outs

If you ever want to undo a check out, select the asset record and choose Asset > Undo Check Out, or select Undo Check Out from the context menu. Use care when selecting this option, because the Cumulus native client will delete the file from your checkout location. If you have made edits, those edits will be lost.

Viewing Asset Histories

Once a Cumulus catalog has been configured for use with the Vault, all assets in that catalog have at least one history entry—the original cataloged version. To see this version, and any others, select an asset and choose Asset > Show History, or choose Show History from the context menu. A window appears that displays all versions and comments for the file. (See the Cumulus Client guide for information on the options available in this window.)

From within the Version History window, users can see all versions of an asset, make an older version current, edit histories, and
even delete versions that are no longer needed.

For more information on the Cumulus Vault, see the Exploring Cumulus document, “Taking Advantage of the Cumulus 7 Vault”, available free online.