Why are old versions loaded when no one else uses the file?

[jthompsonCMCBG]

Vault loads random versions instead of the latest version for no reason. 

Simple as I can put it. For example, I am working on an assembly on Friday, making a bunch of changes to the sub-components and the assembly. Then I save and check in to pick up the work on Monday morning. When I load the file on Monday the assembly and a few of the sub-components are red dot- newer version in vault. This confuses and concerns me because we have a large, multi-location team and its possible for another team member to change the parts, and not notify or consider my work at all. I go through the work of pulling up each of the sub-components to check the history and I see "Local Same As: older version" instead of the latest version.

I realize that all I have to do is refresh the files, but it causes wasted time as I am not sure if my design was altered or not, so I have to verify. 
Does anyone know why this happens?? I am not satisfied with "just refresh the file and it will be fine" because it may not be, so it's creating a lot of wasted time. I also want to understand why this happens and maybe prevent it from happening. 

[gandhey]

Hello @jthompsonCMCBG ,

If you donot see 'Red dot' (showing your local file version is not latest) infact you will continue to work your local files without knowing the newer changes already checked in to vault by your peers.

I think concern you have with 'Refresh' command in vault bringing in the latest file version from vault is - your changes (design changes) will need to be re-verified with new files coming from Vault. Am I right ?, if so there is no way for Vault to make sure the design changes are fine or not.

Another way is to have the required files checkedout to you, so others cannot modify or checkin newer changes to vault before you are done.

Regards,

Yogeshwar

(Vault team)

[jthompsonCMCBG]

I understand, but what is happening is my peers are not doing any work on the files at all, not checking them out, or updating them in any way. These files are not being used by anyone, yet somehow my local is out of date randomly.

Something that goes along with this is that I am noticing incorrect thumbnails on the home screen. The thumb shown on the home screen looks like a different number (see attached). not a big deal, but it is confusing. Inventor is properly connected to the vault.  

[ihayesjr]

@jthompsonCMCBG 

Where are you selecting to Open the file from in the Vault client?

If you select the Open from the History tab, it may not pull down the latest version of the sub-components but pull the direct version of the sub-component it uses.

[jthompsonCMCBG]

I am opening it in Inventor from the home tab.

[ihayesjr]

Opening from the Home tab opens what is in the workspace. It will not download files. You may be getting old files from a different workflow.

[jthompsonCMCBG]

A different workflow? I am not sure what that means because we don't put our files through a workflow. All the files are downloaded, and the local files are the same as the vault files, no one worked on them. 
How can I check to see what workflow and state these files are in? I am not admin. 

[ihayesjr]

What I mean by "workflow" is what other steps you are using to download files from Vault.

Do you ever use a command in the Vault client to download files?

If so, where in the client do you do this?

[jthompsonCMCBG]

Oh! I open files from the home tab or the file > open command. If no local file exists I it will prompt me to download the latest from vault. 

-or-

the file I am opening does have local files, in which case it prompts me to update the local files during process, so I click "yes" to download the latest. The process is identical if I open files from vault search. I don't open from the history list unless I specifically want to open an older version. 

-or-

I have searched a file to look at the "where used" data and then double-clicked a parent assembly to open the file. 

Occasionally if I am having issues with the file not updating after I refresh, I will close all autodesk products, navigate in explorer to the file, delete the file locally, then search for it in vault and open from vault.