Reviewing, Commenting, Comparing Documents

Version Control:Used to keep changes in a document within one document and to limit file size.

  1. Open Management Team.doc
  2. File – Versions to check for different versions of the same document.
  3. Click on Save Now – Comment does not need date, system adds that
  4. NOTE: When you open the document it will always open to the last version saved. There is no indication that there are different versions, you need to remember or name the file somehow to remind you there are versions.
  5. You may open more than one version at a time. Click on Window-Compare Side by Side with…
  6. A small toolbar pops up, to allow you to adjust the view and the scrolling options
  7. To delete a version: File-Versions highlight the version and click on delete, answer yes.

Commenting: Used to review a document that someone else has created and sent to your for your input.

  1. Open Milestones.doc
  2. First look at the Track changes options. Tools-Options-Track Changes Tab
  3. You can adjust how you want your changes to be seen. The By-Author color means that you comments will be the same color as the author used. If there are several people commenting it might be wise to choose different colors.
  4. For this exercise, choose GREEN for Markup, choose RED for deletions, TURQUOISE for Comments. Under balloons change to Only for Comments/Formatting.
  5. Choose Tools-Track Changes, notice the track changes tool bar above and below in the status bar the TRK is bolded.
  6. Select the title Accomplishments and type Milestones
  7. Select Milestones and on the reviewing toolbar click on the Insert Comment button.
  8. Type This heading should reflect the document’s new name.
  9. In the first bullet point, change six-fold to eleven-fold, insert a comment, It’s almost an eleven-fold increase.
  10. In the second bullet point, select Completely eliminated and insert a comment. Is this correct: I think Burke still has some debt.
  11. Edit you last comment to read Is this correct? I think Burke still has long-term debt.
  12. You now find there is no debt. Right click the last comment and choose to delete comment.

Comparing and merging documents: Used to compare documents that have not had track changes turned on and merge them.

  1. Use Original.doc and Edited.doc for this exercise.
  2. Open the document you created. Then click on Tools-Compare and Merge Documents
  3. Choose the document that was sent to you with the changes already made. Make sure you click the box “Legal Blackline” and click on compare.
  4. It matters which document you open.
  5. Open Original document
  6. Click on Tools-Compare and Merge Documents and choose Edited Document
  7. It creates a new document showing the change to the original document as a deletion.
  8. Close both documents
  9. Open Edited document
  10. Click on Tools-Compare and Merge Documents and choose Original Document

Merging Several Documents with changes:Used to combine documents that had track changes turned on.

  1. Open Edited Management Team.doc
  2. Click on Tools-Compare and Merge Documents, uncheck the Legal Blackline check box, select Team MC.doc and select merge.
  3. Do the same for Team SR.doc and Team TL.doc
  4. Click on Tools-Options-Track Changes tab and change colors back to “select by Author” to easily see the various the comments.
  5. Save this document as My Merged Document.doc

Reviewing and accepting changes: Used to decide what changes and suggestions you want to accept or reject.

  1. Open My merged document.doc from section above, or open total merged.doc from the web.
  2. You can choose to hide certain reviewers’ remarks. On the reviewing toolbar click on the down arrow of the Show button. Choose reviewers and click on one of the reviewers to hide their comments and changes.
  3. Right click on first change, the deletion of subsequent. Choose to reject deletion and the word remains and the strikethrough marks disappear.
  4. Then you must right click on the next change, the insertion of the word prior and reject the insertion or your sentence will not read correctly.
  5. Go through the changes in the document choosing what to accept and reject.
  6. NOTE: To print a document with the changes or markup showing, choose File-Print and in the Print What box choose “Document with Markups”.

NOTE: Practice documents for this training can be downloaded from: