diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 6d1c709..7d29877 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -2,57 +2,44 @@
 
 ruby '>= 2.2.2'
 
-#
-#      RAILS
-#
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    RAILS
 gem 'rails', '4.2.7'
-
-# additional gems for rails 4
 gem 'railties'
-gem 'responders', '~> 2.0'   # allows use of respond_with and respond_to in controllers
 
-# add these gems to help with the transition:
-gem 'protected_attributes'
-gem 'rails-observers'
-gem 'actionpack-page_caching'
-gem 'actionpack-action_caching'
+#    GEMS ADDED TO HELP HANDLE RAILS MIGRATION FROM 3.x to 4.2
+#    THESE GEMS HELP SUPPORT DEPRACATED FUNCTIONALITY AND WILL LOSE SUPPORT IN FUTURE VERSIONS
+#    WE SHOULD CONSIDER BRINGING THE CODE UP TO DATE INSTEAD
+gem 'protected_attributes'                 # Provides attr_accessor functions
+gem 'responders', '~> 2.0'                 # Allows use of respond_with and respond_to in controllers
 
-gem 'uglifier'
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    DATABASE/SERVER
+gem 'mysql2', '~> 0.3.18'
 
-# Gems used only for assets and not required in production environments by default.
-# Use SCSS for stylesheets
-gem 'sass-rails'
-
-
-# Use SCSS for stylesheets
-gem 'less-rails'
-gem 'twitter-bootstrap-rails', '2.2.8'
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    JS <-> RUBY BRIDGE
+gem 'libv8'
 gem 'therubyracer', '>=0.11.4', platforms: :ruby
 
-gem 'libv8'
-
-# To use debugger
-gem 'ledermann-rails-settings'
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    JSON DSL - USED BY API
 gem 'jbuilder'
-#to notify admin of errors
-gem 'exception_notification'
 
-#to allow cloning of objects
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    CLONE ACTIVERECORD MODELS AND ASSOCIATIONS
 gem 'amoeba'
 
-group :development, :test do
-  gem "byebug"
-end
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    SLUGS/PERMALINKS
+gem 'friendly_id'
 
-group :development do
-  gem "better_errors"
-  gem "binding_of_caller"
-  gem 'web-console', '~>2.0'
-end
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    SUPER ADMIN SECTION
+gem 'activeadmin', github: 'activeadmin'
 
-#
-#      USERS
-#
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    USERS
 # devise for user authentication
 gem 'devise'
 gem 'devise_invitable'
@@ -61,63 +48,76 @@
 #rolify for roles
 gem 'rolify'
 # Gems for repository integration
-gem 'email_validator'
-gem 'validate_url'
-
-#
-#    DATABASE/SERVER
-#
-gem 'mysql2', '~> 0.3.18'
-
-#cancan for usergroups
 gem 'cancancan'
 
-#
-#    VIEWS
-#
-gem 'jquery-rails'
-gem 'tinymce-rails'
-gem 'friendly_id'
-gem 'contact_us', '>= 1.2.0'
-gem 'recaptcha'
-gem 'turbolinks'
-#implementation of forms
-gem 'activeadmin', github: 'activeadmin'
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    SETTINGS FOR TEMPLATES AND PLANS (FONTS, COLUMN LAYOUTS, ETC)
+gem 'ledermann-rails-settings'
 
-#
-#     EXPORTING PLANS
-#
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    VIEWS
+gem 'jquery-rails'
+gem 'twitter-bootstrap-rails', '2.2.8'
+gem 'tinymce-rails'                                   # WYSIWYG EDITOR
+gem 'contact_us', '>= 1.2.0'                          # COULD BE EASILY REPLACED WITH OUR OWN CODE
+gem 'recaptcha'
+#implementation of forms
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#     EXPORTING
 gem 'thin'
 gem 'wicked_pdf'
 gem 'htmltoword'
 gem 'feedjira'
-# WORD DOC EXPORTING
-gem 'caracal'
+gem 'caracal'                                         # WORD DOC EXPORTING
 gem 'caracal-rails'
 
-#
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #     INTERNATIONALIZATION
-#
 gem "i18n-js", ">= 3.0.0.rc11"      #damodar added TODO: explain
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#     API
+gem 'swagger-docs'
 
-#
-#     TESTING
-#
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    CODE DOCUMENTATION
+gem 'yard'
+gem 'redcarpet'
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#     ENVIRONMENT SPECIFIC DEPENDENCIES
+
+group :development, :test do
+  gem "byebug"
+  
+  gem 'sass-rails'
+  gem 'less-rails'                                    # WE SHOULD PROBABLY USE SASS OR LESS NOT BOTH
+end
+
 group :test do
   gem 'minitest-rails-capybara'
   gem 'minitest-reporters'
   gem 'rack-test'
 end
 
-#
-#     API
-#
-gem 'swagger-docs'
+group :development do
+  gem "better_errors"
+  gem "binding_of_caller"
+  gem 'web-console', '~>2.0'
+end
 
-#
-#    CODE DOCUMENTATION
-#
-gem 'yard'
-gem 'redcarpet'
+group :production do
+  gem 'uglifier'    # JS minifier
+end
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#    GEMS THAT ARE NO LONGER IN USE
+# gem 'rails-observers'            # UNUSED OBSERVERS FOR ACTIVERECORD ... PHASED OUT IN RAILS 5.0
+# gem 'actionpack-page_caching'    # UNUSED BUT LOOKS PROMISING FOR STATIC PAGES
+# gem 'actionpack-action_caching'  # UNUSED BUT LOOKS PROMISING FOR FAIRLY STATIC PAGES BEHIND AUTH
+# gem 'exception_notification'     # UNUSED BUT COULD BE USEFUL FOR ERROR MSG BEING SENT TO ADMINS FROM PROD SYS
+# gem 'email_validator'            # UNUSED ACTIVERECORD VALIDATOR
+# gem 'validate_url'               # UNUSED ACTIVERECORD VALIDATOR
+# gem 'turbolinks'                 # IS NOW A CORE PART OF RAILS >= 4.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index b0f7bd4..78a29ed 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -33,10 +33,6 @@
       rack-test (~> 0.6.2)
       rails-dom-testing (~> 1.0, >= 1.0.5)
       rails-html-sanitizer (~> 1.0, >= 1.0.2)
-    actionpack-action_caching (1.1.1)
-      actionpack (>= 4.0.0, < 5.0)
-    actionpack-page_caching (1.0.2)
-      actionpack (>= 4.0.0, < 5)
     actionview (4.2.7)
       activesupport (= 4.2.7)
       builder (~> 3.1)
@@ -79,7 +75,7 @@
     builder (3.2.2)
     byebug (9.0.5)
     cancancan (1.15.0)
-    capybara (2.7.1)
+    capybara (2.8.0)
       addressable
       mime-types (>= 1.16)
       nokogiri (>= 1.3.3)
@@ -116,13 +112,8 @@
     devise_invitable (1.7.0)
       actionmailer (>= 4.0.0)
       devise (>= 4.0.0)
-    email_validator (1.6.0)
-      activemodel
     erubis (2.7.0)
     eventmachine (1.2.0.1)
-    exception_notification (4.2.1)
-      actionmailer (>= 4.0, < 6)
-      activesupport (>= 4.0, < 6)
     execjs (2.7.0)
     faraday (0.9.2)
       multipart-post (>= 1.2, < 3)
@@ -246,8 +237,6 @@
       rails-deprecated_sanitizer (>= 1.0.1)
     rails-html-sanitizer (1.0.3)
       loofah (~> 2.0)
-    rails-observers (0.1.2)
-      activemodel (~> 4.0)
     railties (4.2.7)
       actionpack (= 4.2.7)
       activesupport (= 4.2.7)
@@ -264,7 +253,7 @@
       json
     redcarpet (3.3.4)
     ref (2.0.0)
-    responders (2.2.0)
+    responders (2.3.0)
       railties (>= 4.2.0, < 5.1)
     rolify (5.1.0)
     ruby-progressbar (1.8.1)
@@ -299,9 +288,6 @@
     tilt (2.0.5)
     tinymce-rails (4.4.1)
       railties (>= 3.1.1)
-    turbolinks (5.0.1)
-      turbolinks-source (~> 5)
-    turbolinks-source (5.0.0)
     twitter-bootstrap-rails (2.2.8)
       actionpack (>= 3.1)
       execjs
@@ -311,9 +297,6 @@
       thread_safe (~> 0.1)
     uglifier (3.0.1)
       execjs (>= 0.3.0, < 3)
-    validate_url (1.0.2)
-      activemodel (>= 3.0.0)
-      addressable
     warden (1.2.6)
       rack (>= 1.0)
     web-console (2.3.0)
@@ -330,8 +313,6 @@
   ruby
 
 DEPENDENCIES
-  actionpack-action_caching
-  actionpack-page_caching
   activeadmin!
   amoeba
   better_errors
@@ -343,8 +324,6 @@
   contact_us (>= 1.2.0)
   devise
   devise_invitable
-  email_validator
-  exception_notification
   feedjira
   friendly_id
   htmltoword
@@ -362,7 +341,6 @@
   protected_attributes
   rack-test
   rails (= 4.2.7)
-  rails-observers
   railties
   recaptcha
   redcarpet
@@ -373,10 +351,8 @@
   therubyracer (>= 0.11.4)
   thin
   tinymce-rails
-  turbolinks
   twitter-bootstrap-rails (= 2.2.8)
   uglifier
-  validate_url
   web-console (~> 2.0)
   wicked_pdf
   yard
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 2939cab..9aae42a 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
     t.integer  "plan_id",     limit: 4
     t.integer  "user_id",     limit: 4
     t.integer  "question_id", limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
   end
 
   create_table "answers_options", id: false, force: :cascade do |t|
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@
     t.integer  "user_id",     limit: 4
     t.integer  "question_id", limit: 4
     t.text     "text",        limit: 65535
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
     t.boolean  "archived"
     t.integer  "plan_id",     limit: 4
     t.integer  "archived_by", limit: 4
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@
     t.boolean  "published"
     t.integer  "user_id",         limit: 4
     t.integer  "organisation_id", limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                    null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                    null: false
     t.string   "locale",          limit: 255
     t.boolean  "is_default"
   end
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@
     t.integer  "plan_id",    limit: 4
     t.integer  "user_id",    limit: 4
     t.string   "format",     limit: 255
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",             null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",             null: false
   end
 
   create_table "file_types", force: :cascade do |t|
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@
     t.string   "icon_name",     limit: 255
     t.integer  "icon_size",     limit: 4
     t.string   "icon_location", limit: 255
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
   end
 
   create_table "file_uploads", force: :cascade do |t|
@@ -82,12 +82,12 @@
     t.boolean  "published"
     t.string   "location",     limit: 255
     t.integer  "file_type_id", limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                 null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                 null: false
   end
 
   create_table "friendly_id_slugs", force: :cascade do |t|
-    t.string   "slug",           limit: 191, null: false
+    t.string   "slug",           limit: 255, null: false
     t.integer  "sluggable_id",   limit: 4,   null: false
     t.string   "sluggable_type", limit: 40
     t.datetime "created_at"
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@
   create_table "guidance_groups", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "name",            limit: 255
     t.integer  "organisation_id", limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                  null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                  null: false
     t.boolean  "optional_subset"
     t.boolean  "published"
   end
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@
   create_table "guidances", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.text     "text",              limit: 65535
     t.integer  "guidance_group_id", limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                      null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                      null: false
     t.integer  "question_id",       limit: 4
     t.boolean  "published"
   end
@@ -133,8 +133,8 @@
     t.integer  "organisation_id", limit: 4
     t.integer  "option_id",       limit: 4
     t.text     "text",            limit: 65535
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                    null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                    null: false
   end
 
   create_table "options", force: :cascade do |t|
@@ -142,8 +142,8 @@
     t.string   "text",        limit: 255
     t.integer  "number",      limit: 4
     t.boolean  "is_default"
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",              null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",              null: false
   end
 
   create_table "org_token_permissions", force: :cascade do |t|
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@
   create_table "organisation_types", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "name",        limit: 255
     t.text     "description", limit: 65535
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
   end
 
   create_table "organisations", force: :cascade do |t|
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@
     t.string   "domain",               limit: 255
     t.string   "wayfless_entity",      limit: 255
     t.integer  "stylesheet_file_id",   limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                         null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                         null: false
     t.integer  "parent_id",            limit: 4
     t.boolean  "is_other"
     t.string   "sort_name",            limit: 255
@@ -185,9 +185,9 @@
     t.text     "description",    limit: 65535
     t.integer  "number",         limit: 4
     t.integer  "dmptemplate_id", limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
-    t.string   "slug",           limit: 191
+    t.datetime "created_at",                   null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                   null: false
+    t.string   "slug",           limit: 255
   end
 
   add_index "phases", ["dmptemplate_id"], name: "index_phases_on_dmptemplate_id", using: :btree
@@ -197,8 +197,8 @@
     t.integer  "user_id",      limit: 4
     t.integer  "section_id",   limit: 4
     t.integer  "plan_id",      limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",             null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",             null: false
     t.datetime "release_time"
   end
 
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@
     t.boolean  "locked"
     t.integer  "project_id", limit: 4
     t.integer  "version_id", limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",           null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",           null: false
   end
 
   create_table "project_groups", force: :cascade do |t|
@@ -215,8 +215,8 @@
     t.boolean  "project_editor"
     t.integer  "user_id",               limit: 4
     t.integer  "project_id",            limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                      null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                      null: false
     t.boolean  "project_administrator"
   end
 
@@ -230,9 +230,9 @@
   create_table "projects", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "title",                             limit: 255
     t.integer  "dmptemplate_id",                    limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
-    t.string   "slug",                              limit: 191
+    t.datetime "created_at",                                      null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                                      null: false
+    t.string   "slug",                              limit: 255
     t.integer  "organisation_id",                   limit: 4
     t.string   "grant_number",                      limit: 255
     t.string   "identifier",                        limit: 255
@@ -248,8 +248,8 @@
   create_table "question_formats", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "title",       limit: 255
     t.text     "description", limit: 65535
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
   end
 
   create_table "questions", force: :cascade do |t|
@@ -261,8 +261,8 @@
     t.integer  "dependency_id",          limit: 4
     t.text     "dependency_text",        limit: 65535
     t.integer  "section_id",             limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                                          null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                                          null: false
     t.integer  "question_format_id",     limit: 4
     t.boolean  "option_comment_display",               default: true
   end
@@ -286,9 +286,9 @@
   end
 
   create_table "roles", force: :cascade do |t|
-    t.string   "name",          limit: 191
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.string   "name",          limit: 255
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
     t.boolean  "role_in_plans"
     t.integer  "resource_id",   limit: 4
     t.string   "resource_type", limit: 255
@@ -303,42 +303,42 @@
     t.integer  "number",          limit: 4
     t.integer  "version_id",      limit: 4
     t.integer  "organisation_id", limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                    null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                    null: false
     t.boolean  "published"
   end
 
   create_table "settings", force: :cascade do |t|
-    t.string   "var",         limit: 191,   null: false
+    t.string   "var",         limit: 255,   null: false
     t.text     "value",       limit: 65535
     t.integer  "target_id",   limit: 4,     null: false
-    t.string   "target_type", limit: 191,   null: false
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.string   "target_type", limit: 255,   null: false
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
   end
 
   add_index "settings", ["target_type", "target_id", "var"], name: "index_settings_on_target_type_and_target_id_and_var", unique: true, using: :btree
 
   create_table "splash_logs", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "destination", limit: 255
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",              null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",              null: false
   end
 
   create_table "suggested_answers", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.integer  "question_id",     limit: 4
     t.integer  "organisation_id", limit: 4
     t.text     "text",            limit: 65535
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                    null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                    null: false
     t.boolean  "is_example"
   end
 
   create_table "themes", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "title",       limit: 255
     t.text     "description", limit: 65535
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
     t.string   "locale",      limit: 255
   end
 
@@ -358,43 +358,43 @@
     t.integer  "user_id",           limit: 4
     t.integer  "organisation_id",   limit: 4
     t.integer  "user_role_type_id", limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                  null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                  null: false
   end
 
   create_table "user_role_types", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "name",        limit: 255
     t.text     "description", limit: 65535
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
   end
 
   create_table "user_statuses", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "name",        limit: 255
     t.text     "description", limit: 65535
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
   end
 
   create_table "user_types", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "name",        limit: 255
     t.text     "description", limit: 65535
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
   end
 
   create_table "users", force: :cascade do |t|
     t.string   "firstname",              limit: 255
     t.string   "surname",                limit: 255
-    t.string   "email",                  limit: 191, default: "", null: false
+    t.string   "email",                  limit: 255, default: "", null: false
     t.string   "orcid_id",               limit: 255
     t.string   "shibboleth_id",          limit: 255
     t.integer  "user_type_id",           limit: 4
     t.integer  "user_status_id",         limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                                      null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                                      null: false
     t.string   "encrypted_password",     limit: 255, default: ""
-    t.string   "reset_password_token",   limit: 191
+    t.string   "reset_password_token",   limit: 255
     t.datetime "reset_password_sent_at"
     t.datetime "remember_created_at"
     t.integer  "sign_in_count",          limit: 4,   default: 0
@@ -402,15 +402,14 @@
     t.datetime "last_sign_in_at"
     t.string   "current_sign_in_ip",     limit: 255
     t.string   "last_sign_in_ip",        limit: 255
-    t.string   "confirmation_token",     limit: 191
+    t.string   "confirmation_token",     limit: 255
     t.datetime "confirmed_at"
     t.datetime "confirmation_sent_at"
-    t.string   "invitation_token",       limit: 191
+    t.string   "invitation_token",       limit: 255
     t.datetime "invitation_created_at"
     t.datetime "invitation_sent_at"
     t.datetime "invitation_accepted_at"
     t.string   "other_organisation",     limit: 255
-    t.boolean  "dmponline3"
     t.boolean  "accept_terms"
     t.integer  "organisation_id",        limit: 4
     t.string   "api_token",              limit: 255
@@ -437,8 +436,8 @@
     t.boolean  "published"
     t.integer  "number",      limit: 4
     t.integer  "phase_id",    limit: 4
-    t.datetime "created_at"
-    t.datetime "updated_at"
+    t.datetime "created_at",                null: false
+    t.datetime "updated_at",                null: false
   end
 
   add_index "versions", ["phase_id"], name: "index_versions_on_phase_id", using: :btree