1. A method of consolidating information in a document management and exchange system, the method comprising: adding a descriptor to an original document for exchange between two or more participant systems along a communication path, wherein the descriptor comprises at least one document identifier representing a logical subject of the document; identifying in further documents received from the communication path at the two or more participant systems modifications with respect to the original document based on comparing a descriptor of the further documents and the descriptor of the original document, wherein the further documents represent modified versions of the original document exchanged between the two or more participant systems, and wherein at least one participant system receives a further document with modifications different than modifications in another further document received by at least one other participant system; and maintaining a master document for each of the participant systems containing the original document and the modifications in the further documents received by that participant system from the communication path during the exchange of the modified versions of the original document between the two or more participant systems, the master document for each participant system providing consolidated information relating to the logical subject and the modifications received by that participant system, and wherein the master documents for at least two of the participant systems are different and include different modifications based on the further documents received at those at least two participant systems.
1. A method of consolidating information in a document management and exchange system, the method comprising: adding a descriptor to an original document for exchange between two or more participant systems along a communication path, wherein the descriptor comprises at least one document identifier representing a logical subject of the document; identifying in further documents received from the communication path at the two or more participant systems modifications with respect to the original document based on comparing a descriptor of the further documents and the descriptor of the original document, wherein the further documents represent modified versions of the original document exchanged between the two or more participant systems, and wherein at least one participant system receives a further document with modifications different than modifications in another further document received by at least one other participant system; and maintaining a master document for each of the participant systems containing the original document and the modifications in the further documents received by that participant system from the communication path during the exchange of the modified versions of the original document between the two or more participant systems, the master document for each participant system providing consolidated information relating to the logical subject and the modifications received by that participant system, and wherein the master documents for at least two of the participant systems are different and include different modifications based on the further documents received at those at least two participant systems. 3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein modifications to the master document are stored in their timely sequence.