Letter Portfolio and Versions

Over a career, a faculty member may write dozens or hundreds of recommendation letters. AcaTrove's letter portfolio organizes all the letters you have written, maintains version history for each one, and provides archiving tools so you can keep your active collection manageable.

Viewing Your Portfolio

Navigate to /letters and open the My Portfolio tab. The portfolio displays all letters you have written through AcaTrove, organized by candidate. Each entry shows:

• The candidate's name.
• The number of letter versions on file.
• The date of the most recent version.
• The positions or programs the letters were written for.

Click on a candidate's name to expand their entry and view all associated letters.

Version History

Each letter in your portfolio can have multiple versions. Version history is useful in several scenarios:

• Position-specific tailoring. You write a base letter for a candidate and then create variants that emphasize different qualifications for different positions.
• Annual updates. You update a letter each year as the candidate achieves new milestones.
• Revisions based on feedback. You refine a letter after the candidate provides additional context.

To view the version history for a letter:

1. Open the candidate's entry in your portfolio.
2. Click on a specific letter to see its version timeline.
3. Each version is listed with its creation date, a label (if provided), and a brief summary of changes.

You can view, download, or share any version from the history. The most recent version is marked as the active version by default.

Creating a New Version

When you need to update an existing letter:

1. Open the letter from your portfolio.
2. Click New Version.
3. The editor opens with the content of the most recent version pre-loaded.
4. Make your changes and save. A new version is created automatically.
5. Optionally, add a label to describe what changed (e.g., "Updated for 2026 applications" or "Emphasized teaching for liberal arts positions").

The previous version remains intact and accessible in the history.

Archiving Letters

Letters that are no longer current can be archived to keep your active portfolio focused:

1. Open the candidate's entry in your portfolio.
2. Click the Archive button on the letter you want to archive.
3. Archived letters are moved to the Archived section, accessible via a toggle at the top of the portfolio view.

Archiving does not delete the letter. You can restore an archived letter at any time by opening it and clicking Restore.

Searching Your Portfolio

If you have a large portfolio, use the search bar at the top of the tab to find letters by:

• Candidate name.
• Institution or position title.
• Date range.
• Version label or content keywords.

Tips

• Label your versions descriptively. When a candidate asks you to submit a letter for a new position, a clear version label helps you quickly find the right starting point.
• Archive letters for candidates who have completed their job search. This keeps your active portfolio focused on current commitments.
• Before writing a new letter for a returning candidate, review your previous versions. Consistency across letters is important, and the version history ensures you do not contradict earlier statements.
• Portfolio letters can be shared directly with committees through AcaTrove's access-sharing features, eliminating the need to email attachments.