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Pre-Plans: Pre-Plan Changelog

Purpose Statement

The Pre-Plan Change Log provides a comprehensive audit trail of all modifications made to pre-plans within the system. This feature enables users to track the complete history of a pre-plan, compare different versions side-by-side, and review changes made over time. It ensures accountability, supports quality control, and helps departments maintain accurate pre-plan documentation by allowing users to see who made changes, when changes were made, and what specifically was modified.

Background Information

The Pre-Plan Change Log automatically captures and archives every version of a pre-plan as it progresses through different states (draft, pending approval, published, archived). This version control system is essential for fire departments that need to maintain accurate property information, track updates from field inspections, and comply with departmental standards for pre-plan documentation. The change log is particularly valuable when multiple users contribute to pre-plan development, when supervisors need to review submissions before approval, or when departments need to understand how property information has evolved over time.
Common Use Cases:
  • Supervisors reviewing changes before approving pre-plan updates
  • Quality assurance teams comparing field inspection updates to previous versions
  • Administrators tracking who made specific changes to critical property information
  • Training officers using version history to demonstrate proper pre-planning procedures
  • Departments conducting audits of pre-plan maintenance activities
Prerequisites:
  • Pre-plans must be created in the system
  • Users must have appropriate permissions to view pre-plan history
  • At least one version of the pre-plan must be saved or submitted

Required Permissions

Required:

  • Pre-Plan Organizer - Provides Read Only access to the Pre-Plans Organizer.

For Editing Capabilities:

  • Pre-Plans Read--Allows User to access Pre-Plan Maps & Pre-Plan List as well as view Pre-Plans in a Read Only State
  • Pre-Plans - Edit -Enables the User to edit, update or delete Pre-Plan information & occupancy Details via the Pre-Plan Map.
  • Edit Pre-Plan Organizer - Allows for editing  of Pre-Plan Assignments, Due Dates, Cycles & offers the ability to print Occupancy Data.

For Approval/Publishing Actions:

  • Pre-Plans - Approve - Required to approve Pre-Plans within the organizer
  • Pre-Plans - Publish - Allow Users to Publish Pre-Plans
  • Pre-Plans - Delete Saved: Allows user to Delete saved Pre-Plans in DRAFT status

  • Pre-Plans - Delete All: Allows user to Delete ANY Pre-Plans.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

 

Accessing the Pre-Plan Change Log

 
1. Navigate to Pre-Planning Module
  1. From the main navigation menu, select "Pre-Planning"
  2. Click on "Pre-Plan Organizer"
 

2. Identify Pre-Plans with History
  1. Review the list of pre-plans in the organizer and look for the clock icon next to pre-plan entries
  2. Click the clock icon next to the desired pre-plan to navigate to the Pre-Plan Change Log screen
     
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Important Note:

If no clock icon is present, there isn't a Changelog history for that specific pre-plan.

1. Review Available Statuses
  1. The change log displays all versions of the pre-plan including:
    1. Pending Approval  Or Draft Status
    2. Archived Status
    3.  Rejected Status
    4. Published Status
 


 
2. Use Search and Filter Functions
 
  1. Locate the search bar at the top of the change log
  2. Enter keywords to search for specific items within the history or use filter options to narrow results by status, date, or user

 
 
3. Customize Column Display
  • By default, six columns are displayed but up to 12 columns can be selected
  • Click the "Show Columns" dropdown to access additional columns
     

 
4. Organize Column Layout
  1. Columns can be sorted in ascending or descending order
 
 
5. Navigate Through Pages
  1. Use the pagination controls at the bottom of the change log to determine the amount of pre-plans per page
     

 

Viewing Individual Versions

1. View a Single Version
Click the eye icon in the row of the Pre=Plan you want to view to open a detailed view of that specific version

Editing from the Change Log

1. Edit the Latest Version
Click the pencil icon on the last submitted pre-plan entry to access editing mode
 
 

Comparing Multiple Versions

1. Select Versions for Comparison
Choose up to three versions of the pre-plan by clicking the checkboxes next to each version
 
Click the "Compare" button
 
 
2. Compare the Versions of the Pre-Plan
  1. The comparison screen displays a side-by-side view of each version
  2. Use the section tabs or dropdown to navigate between different areas of the pre-plan
  3. Available sections include:
    1. Occupancy
    2. General 
    3. Unit 
    4. Hazardous Materials
    5. Contacts
    6. Attachments
    7. Levels
    8. Annotations
       

 
3. Edit from Comparison View
After reviewing comparisons, click the "Edit" button in the comparison interface to edit the latest version of the Pre-Plan
 
 
4.  Approve or Reject Pending Pre-Plans
  1. If the pre-plan is in "Pending Approval" status and you have approval permissions:
    1. Select "Publish" to approve and publish the pre-plan
    2. Select "Reject" to send back for revisions with comments
       

 

Best Practices

Do's:

  • Regularly review change logs for critical pre-plans (high-risk occupancies, frequent updates)
  • Use the comparison feature before approving any pending pre-plans
  • Compare the pending version with the currently published version to understand exactly what will change
  • Document reasons for rejections in the comments field

Don'ts:

  • For supervisor reviews: Compare pending approval version with current published version
  • For quality audits: Compare original version with current version to see total evolution
  • For training purposes: Compare consecutive versions to demonstrate proper update procedures
  • Select the minimum number of versions needed for your analysis (2-3 maximum)

Tips & Recommendations

  • Encourage field users to add comments when submitting updates
  • Use descriptive version comments that explain what was changed and why
  • Maintain consistent naming conventions for contacts, hazards, and equipment

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Why don't I see a clock icon next to a pre-plan? 
A: The clock icon only appears for pre-plans that have saved history. If a pre-plan was just created and never saved or submitted, no clock icon will appear. The clock icon appears after the first save/submission.

Q: The comparison screen is showing "No Changes" for sections I know were modified. What's wrong? 
A: Ensure you've selected the correct versions for comparison. The versions must be different enough to show changes. Also, navigate through all sections using the section tabs—changes may exist in sections other than the one currently displayed.

Q: Can I restore an old version of a pre-plan? 
A: The system doesn't have a direct "restore" function. However, you can view an archived version using the eye icon, note the previous data, then edit the current version and manually update the fields to match the archived version. Always document why you're reverting to a previous version.

Q: I have edit permissions but can't edit from the change log. Why? 
A: Only the most recent/last submitted version can be edited using the pencil icon. If you need to edit an older archived version, you would need to edit the current version and manually make the changes. The pencil icon only appears on the latest submission.

Q: Who can approve or reject pre-plans from the comparison view? 
A: Only users with "Approve/Reject Pre-Plans" permissions can publish or reject pre-plans. This is typically limited to supervisors, administrators, or designated pre-planning coordinators. Field users can view comparisons but cannot approve.

Q: I accidentally rejected a pre-plan. Can I undo this? 
A: Rejected pre-plans typically return to the submitter for revision. You cannot directly undo a rejection, but you can communicate with the submitter and ask them to resubmit. The change log will show the rejection in the history.