Keeping a track of the changes isn’t a chore

If you haven’t guessed from the oh-so clever title, today’s blog is about Track Changes.

It’s something that I get asked about quite a bit; If it isn’t how to use it, it’s how to ‘clear’ the changes at the end.

What is track changes?

Let’s start at the beginning (which is a very good place to start).

You write a document, and share it with colleagues to ask for their thoughts and suggestions.

However, you want to know who suggested what:

• added text
• deletions and replacements
• questions asked
• comments made
• edits

That’s where the option comes in.

Editing the file – the changes appear on screen with who suggested it.

Comments aren’t technically part of this option, but used with it for questions/thoughts and ideas.

Remember – you can also use it when you’re editing your document.

What makes this a useful command, is that you can go back and review each change. As you look at each change, you select if you want to accept it or reject and go back to the original text.

Switching On

On the Ribbon – select the Review tab.

Click the Track Changes button – and that’s it!

Important: Switch the option on before sharing it for comments.

Pro Tip: Status Bar

Heavy user? Add it as a status bar option (bottom of the window).

You’ll see when it’s on and be able to switch the option on and off.

Right click (on the status bar), and then find and click on Track Changes. 😊

Switching off

Finally when you’re done – click the button again to stop tracking the edits.

Remember: Switching it off doesn’t hide or remove anything already tracked.

Next Steps

Want to learn more about using the Views or Accept/Reject options? Then Book a Call with me to discuss how I can help you and your business.

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