---
alias: user-guide-change-set-index
tags:
- change management
description: "Manage versions of change-controlled objects through a defined change set approval process"
---

# Change Set

:lock: ChangeSet.**Show**

## Overview

A **Change Set** is an object which is used to bundle together changes to versioned objects. Bear in mind that the **Change Set** only refers to the versioned data of the object, so, the global data is not part of the **Change Set**.

In the current Critical Manufacturing MES version, the following objects are change-controlled:

* [[user-guide-automation-controller-index]]
* [[user-guide-automation-driver-definition-index]]
* [[user-guide-automation-protocol-index]]
* [[user-guide-automation-workflow-index]]
* [[user-guide-bom-index]]
* [[user-guide-checklist-index]]
* [[user-guide-data-collection-index]]
* [[user-guide-data-collection-limit-set-index]]
* [[user-guide-document-index]]
* [[user-guide-experiment-definition-index]]
* [[user-guide-flow-index]]
* [[user-guide-inspection-plan-index]]
* [[user-guide-maintenance-plan-index]]
* [[user-guide-printable-document-index]]
* [[user-guide-product-index]]
* [[user-guide-product-group-index]]
* [[user-guide-protocol-index]]
* [[user-guide-recipe-index]]
* [[user-guide-uipages-index]]

## Change Set Approvals

Individual **Change Set Items** can have individual approval Roles which indicate the **Change Set Item** must be approved by a person that belongs to that Role. Only after all individual **Change Set Items** have been approved can the **Change Set** approval process begin. A **Change Set** can have an Approval Role or an Approval Workflow, but not both.

!!! note
    The Approval Workflow should follow the [[user-guide-change-set-index#state-model|State Model]] described in the section below.

All the **Change Set Items** of a given **Change Set** only become Active if the **Change Set** as a whole is approved. The **Change Set** can be approved in three basic ways:

1. No Change Set Approval Role or Approval Workflow defined: the **Change Set** is approved immediately after all **Change Set Items** are approved (if individual **Change Set Item** approval roles have been defined).
2. A Change Set Approval Role is defined: the **Change Set** is approved after all **Change Set Items** are approved (if individual **Change Set Item** approval roles have been defined) and the **Change Set** itself is approved by a person that belongs to the **Change Set** approval Role.
3. A Change Set Approval Workflow is defined: the **Change Set** is approved after all **Change Set Items** are approved (if individual **Change Set Item** approval roles have been defined) and the **Change Set** itself is approved in its final Workflow state. Before the **Change Set** approval reaches the final Workflow state, it must be approved in every intermediate state of the Workflow. In every state of the Workflow, the **Change Set** can be approved only by a person that belongs to the Role defined in the Workflow State (if defined).

!!! note
	  The Approval Type of State reviewers is as follows:

    * Approver - if the Reviewer is set as Approver they must explicitly approve the **Change Set** at a certain state (this action is mandatory and relevant).
    * Observer - if the Reviewer is set as Observer they can add, approve or reject, but the response is not required and not relevant for the **Change Set** approval, but it will be kept in the historical details of the state transition approval.

## Implicit Change Sets

It is possible to have implicit **Change Sets** created automatically for change controlled entities. To enable change controlled entities to have implicit **Change Sets**, it is necessary to change its metadata.

To enable implicit **Change Sets** for an entity, it is necessary to perform the following:

1. Go to the **Entity Types** in the **Administration** page group.
2. Open the desired Entity.
3. Select **Edit** to enter edit mode.
4. Make the following changes:

   * Check the Allow Automatic Change Set option.
   * Provide the Name Generator that will be used to generate the **Change Set** name.
   * Optionally, specify an Approval Role or Approval Workflow for the **Change Set**.

    !!! info
        If there is no Approval Role or Approval Workflow defined, the Change Set will be automatically approved.

5. Select **Save** to make the changes effective.

## Subscribe to Notifications

You can subscribe to **Change Set** notifications. For more information see [[user-guide-manage-change-set-subscribers]].

## State Model

A **Change Set** itself has a system defined state model described in the next figure.

```mermaid
graph TD
    Start -->|Create Change Set| A1
    A1[Created] -->|Request Change Set Approval| A2[In Approval]
    A2 -->|Rework Change Set| A1
    A2 -->|Approve Change Set| L1[Approved]
    A2 -->|Reject Change Set| C1[Rejected]
    L1 -->|Change Set Items Effective| L2["Terminated (automatic)"]

classDef mermaid_title color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, font-weight:200;
classDef mermaid_start color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, color:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, visibility: hidden;
classDef mermaid_businessdata color:#000, fill:#65CDE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_nonbusinessdata color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#B7DEE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_entity color:#000, fill:#FB9F53, stroke:#FB9F53, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_entitylinked color:#000, fill:#FCD5B5, stroke:#FCD5B5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_context color:#000, fill:#B9CDE5, stroke:#B9CDE5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_optional color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:1px, font-size:100%, stroke-dasharray: 5 5;
classDef mermaid_state color:#000, fill:#d7e4bd, stroke:#000, stroke-width:1px, font-size:100%, font-weight:300;
classDef mermaid_initial_state fill:#d7e4bd,stroke:#92d050,stroke-width:3px,color:#000;
classDef mermaid_final_state fill:#a7e2f2,stroke:#65CDE8,stroke-width:3px,color:#000;
class Main mermaid_entity
class Start mermaid_start
class A1,A2,L1 mermaid_initial_state
class C1,L2 mermaid_final_state
```

A **Change Set**, when created, goes to the system state Created. In this state, users can add multiple **Change Set Items**, which are versions of the change-controlled entities. After the desired **Change Set Items** are added, the **Change Set** can be set for approval. At this point, all associated **Change Set Items** become frozen, meaning they can no longer be modified.

The **Change Set** then goes through the approval process and can be either be approved or rejected. If the **Change Set** is approved, all **Change Set Items** transition to the Active state. The **Change Set** also contains an additional property, called `Make Change Set Items Effective on Approval`. When this option is enabled, the system attempts to automatically make all **Change Set Items** effective after approval. Once the **Change Set Items** become effective, the **Change Set**  is automatically terminated.

In case the **Change Set** is rejected, both the **Change Set** and all associated **Change Set Items** are terminated.

## Tying Everything Together

```mermaid
graph TD
    Main[Change Set] -.- A1[Approval Role]
    N1[Approval Workflow] -.- Main
    Main === L1[Change Set Item]
    A1[Approval Role] -.- L1
    L1 ---A3[Product]
    L1 --- A4[Flow]
    L1 --- A5[...]

classDef mermaid_title color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, font-weight:200;
classDef mermaid_start color:#000, fill:#fafafa, stroke:#fafafa, color:#fafafa, stroke-width:0x, font-size:100%, visibility: hidden;
classDef mermaid_businessdata color:#000, fill:#65CDE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_nonbusinessdata color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#B7DEE8, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_entity color:#000, fill:#FB9F53, stroke:#FB9F53, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_entitylinked color:#000, fill:#FCD5B5, stroke:#FCD5B5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_context color:#000, fill:#B9CDE5, stroke:#B9CDE5, stroke-width:0px, font-size:100%;
classDef mermaid_optional color:#000, fill:#B7DEE8, stroke:#65CDE8, stroke-width:1px, font-size:100%, stroke-dasharray: 5 5;
class Main mermaid_entity
class A1,A2,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,A10,A11,A12 mermaid_businessdata
class L1,L2,L3,L4,L5,L6 mermaid_entitylinked
class C1,C2,C3,C4,C5,C6 mermaid_context
class N1,N2,N3,N4,N5,N6 mermaid_nonbusinessdata

click Main "../../business-data/change-set"
click A1 "../../administration/security/roles"
click A3 "../../business-data/product"
click A4 "../../business-data/flow"
```

## Sequence Of Steps

The necessary steps for correctly using a **Change Set** are the following:

1. Optionally, create the intended Approval Workflow (State Model).
2. Create a **Change Set** and assign **Change Set Items** to it.
3. Request a **Change Set** approval.
4. Optionally, send the **Change Set** for Rework (after addressing rework issues, repeat Step 2).
5. Approve or Reject the **Change Set**.

{{ generate_index() }}