A reader returning to a guide may need to know whether the answer changed or the page was simply edited. A useful revision note describes the material difference. “Updated for accuracy” is often too vague to help someone who relied on the earlier version.
Keep the original publication date and add an update date when a substantive change occurs. The note should explain what changed, why it changed, and whether the reader needs to take a different action.
Match the note to the change
| Change | Useful note |
|---|---|
| New platform deadline | Name the affected feature, old assumption, new date, and source |
| Corrected calculation | Identify the error and the conclusions it affected |
| Expanded example | Describe the additional situation now covered |
| Changed product scope | Explain the included or excluded work that changed |
| Minor typo | Usually no substantive update claim is needed |
Make corrections easy to find
If the previous version was materially wrong, put the correction where a reader can see it without searching a changelog. Explain the correction in direct language. Avoid making a factual correction sound like a routine enhancement.
For example: “We corrected the example to distinguish revenue from profit. The original version applied the margin twice. The revised calculation changes the illustrated threshold.” This tells a returning reader what to reconsider without requiring them to reconstruct the old page.
Keep an internal record
Store the prior wording, the evidence for the change, and the reviewer or responsible owner in the editorial record. The public note can be concise while the internal history preserves the detail needed to answer questions later.
When several pages repeat the same changing fact, update the group together. A corrected guide will not resolve confusion if a product page still carries the old claim. Use revision work to identify where a shared source of truth or a simpler content structure would reduce future inconsistency.
For the next implementation step, use Prepare an expanding article archive for maintenance.
For the next implementation step, use Publish a news correction with a visible change record.