Transition from Single Author to Multiple Author Environment

[#1]

I've been the sole author of a moderately large WebHelp project for several years now.  Due to organizational changes, including a change in my duties, my leadership would like to me to transition the project to three (3) new authors who will assume the help authoring duties.  I'm currently running RH11 but will be upgrading to RH15 to assist with the transition.  Since we've never had more than one author for the project, I have a few questions for the community regarding multi-authoring:

1. Required Software:  As I mentioned, I will be upgrading to
   RH15.  We have an Adobe volume license and will be purchasing RH15 licenses for the new authors.  Is there any other software that needs to be purchased for the group or per user to facilitate multiple authoring?  I've seen RoboSource Control mentioned in many posts in this community.
2. Cloud Computing:  Does the RH15 software have to reside on the user’s PC?  My company has shifted to cloud computing.  Most of the PCs are thin clients that run applications and programs from the cloud.  Would this pose a problem for multiple authors to share a RH15 project?
3. C-drive versus Disk Share Access:  If the new RH authors are able to obtain an exception for cloud computing, what's common practice or the best approach for sharing the project:
   • Should each author house a copy of the project locally on their C-drive and upload their changes to a “master” project file on a shared drive?
   • Should the authors take turns accessing the project from a shared drive?
   • Other?
4. Multi-Authoring Training:
   Any leads or suggestions on formal training for multi-authoring using RH15?  I have suggested formal training to my leadership being that I am self-taught and have never done multiple authoring.

I look forward to the community’s feedback on this matter. 

[#2]

I've been the sole author of a moderately large WebHelp project for several years now.  Due to organizational changes, including a change in my duties, my leadership would like to me to transition the project to three (3) new authors who will assume the help authoring duties.  I'm currently running RH11 but will be upgrading to RH15 to assist with the transition.  Since we've never had more than one author for the project, I have a few questions for the community regarding multi-authoring:

1. Required Software:  As I mentioned, I will be upgrading to
   RH15.  We have an Adobe volume license and will be purchasing RH15 licenses for the new authors.  Is there any other software that needs to be purchased for the group or per user to facilitate multiple authoring?  I've seen RoboSource Control mentioned in many posts in this community.
2. Cloud Computing:  Does the RH15 software have to reside on the user’s PC?  My company has shifted to cloud computing.  Most of the PCs are thin clients that run applications and programs from the cloud.  Would this pose a problem for multiple authors to share a RH15 project?
3. C-drive versus Disk Share Access:  If the new RH authors are able to obtain an exception for cloud computing, what's common practice or the best approach for sharing the project:
   • Should each author house a copy of the project locally on their C-drive and upload their changes to a “master” project file on a shared drive?
   • Should the authors take turns accessing the project from a shared drive?
   • Other?
4. Multi-Authoring Training:
   Any leads or suggestions on formal training for multi-authoring using RH15?  I have suggested formal training to my leadership being that I am self-taught and have never done multiple authoring.

I look forward to the community’s feedback on this matter. 

[#3 · Accepted solution]

1. I wouldn't advise RoboSource Control. You may want to look at my document about source control: Source Control in RoboHelp - Google Docs
2. It is a personal install. You can install on a remote computer of VMWare if you want and run in there. But you will have to take over the computer with remote desktop to be able to use it. (Basically: a local install on another machine.) Not sure about the exact licensing thought.
3. Best performance is a local copy on every C drive. The source control server will have the master copy. Taking turns on a network drive is a simple way of collaborating without source control.
4. No specific training that I know of. Myself and others provide consulting on multi-authoring and you're probably looking at a day.

[#4]

William,

This is exactly the information I was looking for.  In reviewing your document on source control, I noticed that disk share/shared drive is not one of the global options.  Is it a feasible option without the plugin?