Hello everyone,

I'm looking for guidance and best practices around version control of Attached Documents when using the Library feature in IBM Maximo Application Suite (MAS) 9.1.

🔎 Use Case

We are leveraging the Library capability to attach a single document across many records (e.g., Job Plans, PMs, Locations, etc.). This works well for reuse - but becomes challenging when the document needs to be updated.

⚠️ Current Approach (Working, but feels wrong)

Right now, I am handling updates using the following process:

1. Download the existing document
2. Modify it externally
3. Upload the updated version to the Library as a new document (e.g., ClassARefrigInspections_v2.pdf)
4. Go back to the original Library record
5. Update the URL / File Name to point to the new file

Example:

• Original:
  cos:doclinks/ClassARefrigInspections.pdf
• Updated to:
  cos:doclinks/ClassARefrigInspections_v2.pdf

This effectively updates all references, which is great - but it feels like a workaround rather than a true versioning strategy.

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❓ Questions

• Is this considered a valid / recommended approach in MAS 9.1?
• Is there a better way to manage versions of Library documents?
• Are others leveraging:
  • Document versioning outside of Maximo (e.g., SharePoint, Box, etc.)?
  • Naming conventions only?
  • Any hidden features or patterns I may be missing?

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💡 What I'm Hoping For

Ideally, I'd like a pattern that:

• Maintains a single reference point across all records
• Allows controlled updates without manual relinking
• Provides some level of version traceability / auditability

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🙏 Appreciate any insights

This is my first time working heavily with the Library feature, so I want to make sure I'm aligning with best practices before this pattern gets widely adopted.

Thanks in advance for any feedback or real-world experiences.

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David Miller
Managing Partner - Maximo Consultant
Enterprise Integration Partners LLC
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David, for the most part I advise clients that Maximo/Manage is not a document control system when it comes to attachments, so yes, they should rely upon a system like SP, Box, etc. to perform that function. Then, Maximo/Manage, via the link to the file always gets the most current version of the file. Not to say anything negative about your approach... if it works, it works, but might be difficult to manage over time/volume. Sorry to not be too helpful... interesting use case for sure.

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John Q. Todd
Sr. Business Consultant
Total Resource Management
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The challenge here is that we're dealing with documents that change very infrequently. These are SOPs tied to PMs, and they may only be updated once every 5–10 years-if at all.

With only a few hundred documents in total, the volume is quite low. Implementing a full document management system solely for version control in this scenario feels excessive given the limited scale and infrequency of change. But a change system needs to be in place of some kind.

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David Miller
Managing Partner - Maximo Consultant
Enterprise Integration Partners LLC
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Original Message:
Sent: Mon March 30, 2026 04:26 PM
From: John Q. Todd
Subject: Version control of Attached Documents when using the Library feature?

David, for the most part I advise clients that Maximo/Manage is not a document control system when it comes to attachments, so yes, they should rely upon a system like SP, Box, etc. to perform that function. Then, Maximo/Manage, via the link to the file always gets the most current version of the file. Not to say anything negative about your approach... if it works, it works, but might be difficult to manage over time/volume. Sorry to not be too helpful... interesting use case for sure.

------------------------------
John Q. Todd
Sr. Business Consultant
Total Resource Management
------------------------------