A document is a collection of information that can be copied and changed. A document is said to have versions if the content of at least two copies of the document are different. Reconciliation produces a single version of a document from two or more initial versions. Typically, the final version is a combination of information from the initial versions with the most recent or most useful information preserved.
Reconciliation is initiated by the Briefcase when it determines that two or more copies of the same document are different. The Briefcase, which is called the initiator in this context, locates and starts the briefcase reconciler associated with the given document type. The reconciler compares the documents and determines which portions of the documents to retain. Some reconcilers may require user interaction to complete reconciliation. Others may complete reconciliation without user interaction. The reconciler can be contained within an application or be an extension implemented as a dynamic-link library (DLL).
Some briefcase reconcilers may create residues. A residue is a document, usually having the same file type as the initial document, that contains information not saved in the merged version. Residues are typically used to give authors a quick way to determine what information from their original document is not in the final merged version. If a reconciler supports residues, it creates one residue for each of the original versions of the document. Residues are not created unless the initiator requests them. The Briefcase does not currently request residues, but future initiators may.
Some briefcase reconcilers work in conjunction with the Briefcase to provide the user with a means to terminate reconciliation. This capability is useful for a user who may decide that the reconciliation should not proceed. A reconciler typically provides a termination object when the reconciliation requires user interaction and may be lengthy. In some environments, a reconciler may allow partial reconciliation, enabling a user to temporarily suspend a reconciliation and resume it later. The Briefcase does not currently support partial reconciliation, but future initiators may.