How to Check Files In and Out

How to Check Files In and Out

How to Check Files In and Out

CAD ROOMS uses file check-out locks to prevent multiple people from editing the same file at the same time. Check out a file before editing it. When you finish, contribute your changes and leave the Check-in option enabled to release the lock.
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Important workflow reminder
If you modify a checked-out file, contribute your changes before checking it in.
Recommended workflow: Check out → Modify → Contribute
During contribution, the Check-in option is enabled by default and releases the lock automatically unless you turn it off.

🔒 What Is Check-Out?

  • Check-out locks a file to you so other users cannot modify it.
  • Other users can still preview the file while it is checked out.
  • While the file is checked out to you, you can replace or delete it if your role has the required permissions.
  • Check-out does not create a new version by itself.

🔓 What Is Check-In?

  • Check-in releases the file lock so others can edit the file again.
  • If you modified the file, contribute your changes before checking it in.
  • During contribution, the Check-in option is enabled by default, so the lock is normally released as part of the same workflow.
  • After check-in, eligible teammates can check out the file.
  • Check-in does not create a new version by itself.
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Check-In and Check-Out permissions
Only Project Admins and Collaborators can check files in and out. Viewers have read-only access and cannot check out, check in, replace, delete, or contribute files.

What Happens If a User Is Unavailable?

A file does not remain permanently locked if the user who checked it out is unavailable or forgets to check it in. A Project Admin can use force check-in to release the lock without waiting for that user to return. This project-level override provides a recovery path for abandoned or orphaned file locks.

How to Check Out a File

You can check out files in two ways:
  1. Top Toolbar
    • Select a file in the Files tab.
    • Click Checkout in the top-right toolbar.
      • CAD ROOMS Web App Files tab showing the Checkout button in the top-right toolbar after selecting a file
      CAD ROOMS Web App displaying a locked file status with the user name after a successful checkout, indicating the file is now exclusively editable by the current user
  2. Right-Click Menu
    • Right-click the file.
    • Select Checkout from the context menu.
After check-out, the file status shows who holds the lock.
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Auto check-out fallback
If you save changes before manually checking out a file, CAD ROOMS can automatically check it out so the changes can still be tracked. Checking out the file before editing remains the recommended workflow.

How to Check In a File

Use Check In when you want to release a file lock. If you modified the file, contribute your changes first — the file can be checked in during the contribution process.
You can check in a file using either method:
  1. Top Toolbar
    • Select the file.
    • Click Check In in the top-right toolbar.
  2. Right-Click Menu
    • Right-click the file.
    • Select Check In.
      • CAD ROOMS right-click context menu on a file with the Check In option selected
      CAD ROOMS confirmation after checking a file in, unlocking it for other teammates to check out
After check-in, eligible teammates can check out the file.
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Automatic check-in during contribution
When contributing a file, the Check-in option is enabled by default. The file is checked in automatically unless you turn off the option to keep it locked.

What You Can Do While a File Is Checked Out

While a file is checked out to you, you can replace or delete it if your role has the required permissions:
  • Replace File
    • Right-click → Replace
    • Select a new version
    • Contribute to finalize the change and create a new version
  • Delete File
    • Right-click → Delete
    • The deletion is staged
    • You must Contribute for the deletion to be applied to the project history
    • If the staged deletion was a mistake, you can Reset it before contributing
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Permissions: Replace and Delete are available only to the user who checked out the file and has the required Project Admin or Collaborator permissions.

Check-In, Contributions, and Version History

  • Every Contribution creates a new version of the file and updates the project’s version history.
  • Check-In only unlocks the file for others — it does not create a new version by itself.
  • The version log provides:
    • Automatic versioning of contributed changes over time
    • Time Travel options to roll back to earlier versions if necessary
    • Audit trails showing who made contributions and when

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