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Document check-in and check-out prevent loss of information by establishing version control and versioning all changes that are made.
Document check in/out creates a documented history, from which previous versions are accessible, and includes a viewable log of who made changes.
Users can see if a document is currently checked-out and being worked on by others.
Collaboration among a team is improved by avoiding overwrites and the possibility of multiple documents with versions being created.
Documents in a checked-out status may be viewed, but not changed by others.
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