How to Use Track Changes in Word

Track Changes is an easy way to collaborate on documents and indicate required improvements and edits in a Microsoft™ Word document.  Here's how to use it:

1. Open (or have open) the document you are editing

2. Make a copy of it and put your initials at the end (file away the original)

Example:

Document name = 'How to use track changes 1'

New name = 'How to use track changes 1 - MHC' and save the document.

3. To save the document, open 'File' at the top left corner on the ribbon at the top of your screen and choose:  'Save a Copy' with the new name.

4. Resist adjusting the original document, in case you need to refer back to it.

Now you have a copy you can easily edit.

5. While in the new version, on the ribbon above, locate 'Review' and click it:

This is the new ribbon that will come up:

7. Click on the down carrow next to 'Changes of 'Track Changes'

8. A drop-down menu appears.

9. Click 'Track Changes' to turn Track Changes on and off.

10. Once activated, any change you make will be indicated in red.

Example:

Words you chose to eliminate will show a red line through them.  This way it is easy to see what you have changed, and a vertical line appears on the left side of the document, so the changes can be found easily by someone else.  (Yes, it looks messy, but just keep going).

11.  Whatever changes you make while ‘Track Changes’ will be recorded in red. 

12.  If you wish to see the edited copy without your red edits, click on the drop-down menu beside ‘Track Changes’ and change it from seeing ‘All Markup’ to ‘No Markup’

13.  Your copy will show how the edited version will appear with no markups.

14.  Track Changes will remain off until you turn it on again.

If you then wish to continue editing the document or revisit the edits:

15.  Click on the drop-down menu beside ‘Track Changes’ and select ‘All Markup’.

Adding comments

There are times when you may have a question, observation, suggestion that you would like to add.  This can be done, also in ‘Review’ by using the comments facility.  Here’s how:

1.      Open the ‘Review’ ribbon.

2.      Have your cursor in the document, on the word or paragraph or illustration that you would like to comment on.

3.      Click on ‘New Comment’

This will change the margins of the document and open a column to the right where a comment ‘bubble’ will appear.

4.      Write your comments/ thoughts/ observations in the comment bubble.

5.      Another person can respond to your comments or ‘Resolve’ the comment (The comment will turn gray, so it won’t need to be reviewed again).

To delete the comment

1. Right click inside the comment box and select 'delete comment'.