Collaborating on important documents can get messy fast. That‘s why savvy Word users rely on track changes–the editing tool designed to bring sanity to team-based writing projects.
With over 1 billion commercial users, Microsoft Word dominates the word processing market. Industry experts overwhelmingly recommend leveraging built-in tools like track changes to optimize workflows. This guide will teach you to use track changes to facilitate seamless collaboration.
A Bird‘s Eye View of Track Changes
Before we dive into the step-by-step instructions, let‘s look at exactly what track changes enables you to accomplish. At a basic level, the tool visualizes edits made to a document, identifying who made each change.
Track changes really shines when working with internal and external partners. More eyeballs on a document improves quality. With track changes, subject matter experts can suggest tweaks without needing direct editing access. The document owner then reviews recommendations to integrate the best feedback.
"Track Changes is invaluable for keeping my editorial process organized from first to final draft. I can instantly see where the last rounds of edits occurred and quickly navigate to those sections."
- Alicia T., Independent Author
Now that you have the big picture, let‘s get tactical. Follow these steps to configure track changes for your next team document:
Step 1: Toggle On Track Changes
We‘ll use Word for Windows in this example. The process is nearly identical for Mac.
- Open your document and select the Review tab
- Click Track Changes to activate (turns blue)
Pro Tip: Use the handy keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + E to toggle track changes on and off with ease.
Figure 1. Location of Track Changes Menu in Word
Step 2: Add Comments and Edits to the Document
With track changes turned on, Word will now visually track any alterations made to the document.
- Deletions – Crossed out
- Insertions – Underlined
- Formatting Changes – Shown with a vertical line
Comments display in the right margin, tagged to the corresponding text.
Reviewer names appear color-coded to easily distinguish different contributors.
Step 3: Hide/Show Markup for Clean View
Toggling track changes visibility on and off lets you focus when needed.
Click Final under the Review tab to temporarily hide markup and view the document as if all edits were accepted.
Return to the editors‘ marked up suggestions by clicking Final: Show Markup.
Figure 2. Menu Options to Show/Hide Tracked Changes
Use this handy trick to hide messy changes for presentations or cleaner proofreading.
Step 4: Integrate Changes From Your Team
Now comes time to filter the signal from the noise. Review each change and determine what enhancements to integrate.
Right click any edit or comment to:
- Accept or reject per change
- See details like date/time and author
When done, accept/reject all remaining edits in bulk.
Step 5: Take Collaboration to the Next Level
Modern cloud-connected Word versions unlock powerful real-time collaboration tools.
Simultaneously co-author from multiple locations with track changes following in real time. Watch sections flow into place page by page.
Limitations: Requires Office 365 subscription with desktop or web Word 2016+. Does not work across all file formats.
While more complex, real-time editing creates opportunities for rapid ideation. Used judiciously, it cuts project timelines substantially.
Why Lean on Track Changes?
Beyond the nuts and bolts, why does track changes earn its place in any collaborative workflow?
1. Improves transparency and accountability
Every comment and alteration ties unambiguously back to its author. No more guessing "who did that?" or relying on memory.
2. Preserves critical change records
From legal proceedings to internal audits, retaining content histories meets compliance duties. Avoid unauthorized, undisclosed edits.
3. Sets documents up for success
Well implemented track changes enhances inclusion, surfaces the best concepts, and creates shared ownership.
Now Turn Insights into Action
With this solid grasp of track changes under your belt, actively apply these tips to your team‘s documents. Keep iterations orderly as ideas organically evolve.
Soon you‘ll wonder how you operated without this indispensable tool! Remember – start right in Word by selecting Review > Track Changes.
As always, leverage the Word help documentation for tactical support on advanced options. Here‘s to more seamless collaboration!
