Versions

A checkpoint is a named save of your project's state at a specific point in time. Think of it as a bookmark in your project's history that you can return to whenever you need. Checkpoints capture the state of all content in your project -- documents, flowcharts, idea boards, and other content types.

1. 1

   Create a checkpoint

   Open the Versions panel in the right sidebar and type a name for your checkpoint -- for example, "Before major restructure" or "Final draft v2". Add an optional description for more context, then click Save. The checkpoint captures the complete state of your project at that moment.

2. 2

   Browse your checkpoints

   All checkpoints appear in the Versions panel as a chronological list, with the most recent at the top. Each entry shows the checkpoint name, who created it, and when it was saved.

3. 3

   Scope your view

   When you are viewing a specific content item, a scope toggle lets you switch between "All changes" (project-wide checkpoints) and "This document" (or flowchart, ideaboard, etc.) to see only checkpoints that affected the current item.

• •Checkpoints capture the full project state, including text, formatting, structure, and embedded elements across all content items
• •Creating a checkpoint is instant and does not slow down your workflow
• •Use checkpoints before major rewrites, structural changes, or experimental edits so you can always go back
• •Versions are also tracked automatically as you work, so you have a history even if you forget to save a named checkpoint

Drafts are parallel versions of your project where you can experiment without affecting your main version. Create a draft to try a different plot direction, restructure your chapters, or let a collaborator work on an alternative approach -- all without touching the original. When you are happy with the result, combine the draft back into your main version.

1. 1

   Create a draft

   Use the draft selector dropdown in the Versions panel or go to the Drafts tab on the full Versions page. Click the "+" button and give your draft a descriptive name like "Alternative ending" or "Chapter reorder experiment".

2. 2

   Switch between drafts

   The draft selector dropdown is always visible at the top of the Versions panel. Click it to see all your drafts and switch to any one of them. Switching reloads the project with that draft's content.

3. 3

   Work on your draft

   Edit freely -- everything you change in a draft stays isolated from your main version. You can create checkpoints within a draft just like on main.

4. 4

   Combine into main

   When your draft is ready, use the "Combine" action to merge it back into your main version. The Compare tab lets you review all differences before combining.

5. 5

   Delete a draft

   If a draft did not work out, delete it from the Drafts tab or the draft selector context menu. Deleting a draft does not affect your main version.

The Versions page is a dedicated full-screen view for managing your project's entire version history. Access it by clicking "View full version tree" at the bottom of the Versions panel in the right sidebar. The page is organized into three tabs.

• •The Versions page remembers your last active tab and view mode between visits
• •Create checkpoints directly from the History tab without going back to the editor
• •Click any checkpoint to compare it or restore it
• •The Graph view is especially useful for projects with multiple active drafts

When you want to see exactly what changed between two points in time, the Compare tab on the Versions page shows a side-by-side comparison that highlights every addition, deletion, and modification.

1. 1

   Navigate to Compare

   Click "Compare" on any checkpoint in the History tab, click "Compare with main" on any draft, or go directly to the Compare tab on the Versions page.

2. 2

   Select what to compare

   Choose a source and destination -- two different checkpoints, two different drafts, or a draft against the main version. The comparison updates automatically when you change the selection.

3. 3

   Read the diff

   Added content is highlighted in green, removed content in red, and unchanged content is shown normally. Scroll through the comparison to review every change.

• •Compare any two checkpoints to see how your content evolved between them
• •Compare a draft against main to review all changes before combining
• •The Compare tab supports merging -- combine a draft into main directly from the comparison view
• •Use comparisons after a collaboration session to see what your co-author changed

Restoring a checkpoint replaces your current content with a saved version. It is a straightforward way to undo changes, recover deleted passages, or return to an earlier structure.

1. 1

   Find the checkpoint to restore

   In the Versions panel or the History tab on the Versions page, find the checkpoint you want to return to.

2. 2

   Click "Restore"

   Click the restore button on the checkpoint. Plotiar will ask you to confirm the action before proceeding.

3. 3

   Content is replaced

   Your content is updated to match the checkpoint's version. All collaborators viewing the same content will see the restored version immediately.

• •Restoring does not delete any checkpoints -- your entire history remains intact
• •The restored content becomes your new current version, and you can continue editing from there
• •Collaborators see the restored version immediately
• •You can always create a new checkpoint before restoring so you have a way back to the current state
• •Need to recover an item that was deleted (rather than rolled back)? See the Trash documentation for the 30-day recovery flow for projects, content items, and templates

While checkpoints are manual saves, the changelog is an automatic, continuous record of every operation performed on a content item. It runs in the background without any action on your part, building a complete audit trail of your content's evolution. The changelog has its own dedicated panel icon in the right sidebar, separate from the Versions panel.

Open the Changelog panel in the right sidebar to view the full history. Entries appear in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Scroll through the list to trace the complete evolution of your content from its creation to the present.

• •The changelog is read-only -- entries are created automatically and cannot be edited or deleted
• •Changelog data is preserved indefinitely, so you can review the history of content created months or years ago
• •Use the changelog alongside checkpoints for the most complete picture -- checkpoints show you what the content looked like, while the changelog tells you what happened and who did it