Give the merged dependency policy a version number, an effective date, and a changelog that records what changed, why, who approved it, and when each rule starts to apply. Keep the file in version control so every change is reviewed and every past version can be retrieved on demand.
Why a policy needs a version
Teams and auditors need to answer "what was the rule on this date?" Without versions, you can only describe the current policy, and the answer for last quarter is a guess. After a merger, this matters more, because the document has just changed substantially and people will compare it to the two documents it replaced.
What to record in the changelog
Each entry should have:
- Version and date. For example, a simple major and minor number, with the date it takes effect.
- Summary. One or two plain sentences about the change.
- Rules affected. Which rule numbers or sections changed.
- Reason. Why it changed. This is the part people forget, and the part audits value.
- Approver. Who signed off.
- Transition. Any grace period, with start and end dates.
- Source. If the change came from merging the two old policies, say which old rule it replaced.
| Version | Effective | Change | Reason | Approver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example 1.0 | Date | Merged policy published | Consolidation of two policies | Policy owner |
| Example 1.1 | Date | Deadline for severe findings changed | Matched measured fix times | Policy owner |
Decide what counts as a major change
A simple scheme helps readers. For instance, treat a change that alters what is blocked or allowed as a major change, announced ahead of time. Treat wording clarifications as minor changes. Treat typo fixes as patches that need no announcement. Whatever scheme you choose, write it at the top of the policy.
Keep it in version control
Store the policy as a text file in a repository, change it by pull request, and require a reviewer. The history then gives you a free audit trail: who proposed what, who approved, and when. See keep policies in Git, versioned, reviewed and approved.
Tie versions to evidence
Record the policy version in the output of your scans and gates where possible. When a result says it was evaluated against version 1.1, nobody has to guess later. Also see policy review dates and the out of date policy finding.
Announce changes
Before a major change takes effect, tell the teams it affects, with the date and the reason. Link to the changelog entry. Teams that read about a change in advance rarely call it a surprise.
Keep the archive of the old policies
The two source policies should remain in the repository history or an archive folder, marked as superseded with the date. Do not delete them. See keep audit evidence when you retire an old dependency policy.
Try it yourself
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen. Look at how controls are tracked against requirements, the kind of mapping a changelog should keep current.
Safeguard stores policies and gates alongside their results, which helps tie a given scan to the rule set that was in force.
Quick check
Do we need a changelog for a short policy?
Yes. A short policy changes just as often, and a few lines per change are enough.
Who may approve changes?
The named policy owner or the approver set in your role split, recorded on every entry.
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
