4th June 2001
Passing a Word document around an office in paper form allows you to easily see who made which changes to the text, but electronic format is a different story - unless you're familiar with the Track Changes feature. To see how this works, enable Track Changes by clicking Tools - Track Changes - Highlight Changes - Track changes while editing. In a blank document, the only difference you'll notice right off is the TRK that lights up in the status bar at the bottom of the window. When you begin to fill the screen with text, however, you'll see that everything is colorized and underlined. This notes a change made to the original document since Track Changes was enabled. That said, be sure you have your first draft completed before you enable the feature and pass it along to the next stop. Once the modified version returns to your desk, each person's changes will appear in a different color. If you mouse-over the text, up will pop the author of the changes and the date/time the modifications were made. Now, right click the hacked text and you'll have the option to accept or reject the changes. No more transcribing scribbled notes from a withered paper copy that's been through 30 sets of hands.