How do I resolve a problem in limiting the number of times a document can be edited? I do not want the author of a document to be able to make changes once it has been submitted or forwarded to and approving supervisor. This is a Leave/Travel Request database application.
If you really want to limit the number of times that someone can edit a document you could write some code that could run from a QueryOpen event (Notes client) of the WebQueryOpen event (Web) to read and increment a counter field in the document. Once if crosses a threshold value, you simple stop the document from opening in the event. However, for your purposes, if I understand them correctly, you could handle this in a potentially easier way. Give the users creating the Leave/Travel request Author access to the database. Then remove their name from any authors fields in the document once they save the request. They will no longer be able to edit the document but will still be able to read it. Any other users with Author access and still in an Authors field will be able to edit the document, as will as users with Editor or higher access.
This was first published in November 2001