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Configuring and sealing a baseline
After you have created a new baseline or added artifacts to a baseline, you must configure a few settings before you can seal the baseline.
Baselines can be sealed or unsealed:
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A sealed baseline contains a timestamp and contents that can no longer be modified. Sealing a baseline is a manual action performed by a user and once sealed, a baseline can never be unsealed. Only artifacts in sealed baselines can be Approved as part of a review.
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When a baseline is unsealed, you are able to modify the contents. While artifacts in an unsealed baseline can be viewed and commented on as part of a review, they cannot be Approved.
To configure and seal a baseline:
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Provide a name for the baseline artifact.
Type a name into the Name field.
Tip: We recommend that you choose a name that is descriptive, but relatively short in length.
- Set the baseline timestamp.
Click the calendar button and select the desired date and time, or click the Live button to reference the live versions of the artifacts.
Note:
After you save the baseline artifact with a time stamp, the baseline will reference the artifacts as they existed at that particular day and time.
If the Timestamp is set to Live Artifacts, the baseline contents will always reference the most up-to-date (live) versions, until the baseline is sealed. If the Timestamp is set to Live Artifacts when you seal the baseline, the Timestamp is automatically updated with the current date and time, and the baseline will always reference the versions as they existed at that date and time.
Click Close to close the calendar.
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Provide a description for the baseline.
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Type a description into the Description field.
The description can be used for any purpose, but it is typically used to provide information about the purpose of the artifact.
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Choose the artifacts to include in the baseline.
- Click the Select Baseline Content button. The Select Baseline Content dialog appears. By default, all artifacts are added to the Baseline Contents section on the right side of the dialog.
- Use the Add and Remove buttons to move all of the desired artifacts to the right side of the dialog.
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Click OK to save the baseline contents.
Note: If any of the selected artifacts are currently being edited, a warning is displayed. The options are Continue, OK, or Cancel. Click the Continue button to select the content with the unsaved versions of the artifact. Click the OK button to close the dialog. Click the Cancel button to completely cancel the content selection.
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Seal the baseline.
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Click the Seal Baseline button to seal the baseline.
Learn More
Finding your baseline artifacts
About Baselines
Baselines and reviews
Creating a new baseline
Adding an artifact to a baseline