This Is a Document That Will Show You How to Use Track Changes

TRACK CHANGES

This is a document that will show you how to use Track Changes.

To show the toolbar that will make Track Changes easier, click on VIEW>TOOLBARS>REVIEWING. A new toolbar should magically appear. Find the tiny arrow that says “Toolbar options”. Mine is next to the white square with lines and an arrow pointing up (“Reviewing Pane”.) Click on it and a box should pop up: “Add or Remove Buttons.” Click on it, then click “Reviewing”. A list will pop up. Check all the boxes to be sure all the buttons are viewed on the toolbar. Click “Reset Toolbar”. On the toolbar you should see a back arrow (Previous), forward arrow (Next), check mark (Accept Change) and X (Reject Change/Delete Comment). You will also see a yellow post-it looking square (New Comment) and a red- lined square with a pencil, (Track Changes.) That square is where you turn on and off the Track Changes, from here on called TC.

How to use Track Changes if someone critiques your document

You will note that I’ve used TC to change the following sentence:

Love is a many splendored splendiferous thing.

Make sure the TC button is clicked. Move the cursor to the title of this document. Click the “Next” arrow. It will take you to the deleted word. Click on the check mark to accept the change. Click the “Next” arrow again and it will highlight the new word. Click the “Reject” button. Oops. Now there is no word in there! So click the undo button if it’s on your upper toolbar, or do it through EDIT. Then click the “accept” button to make it permanent. (Notice the vertical line in the left margin. This tells you where the changes have been made.)

How to use Track Changes on someone else’s document.

Let’s use that same sentence:

Love is a many splendored thing.

Turn on the TC by clicking the lined button with the pencil. Delete the word “splendored”. Type next to it, “splendiferous”. Now it should like my example before you accepted the changes.

How to use comments

I like my comments to look like balloons in the right margin. To turn that feature on, go to TOOLS>OPTIONS>TRACK CHANGES>BALLOONS. Then click the box that says “Use balloons in print and web layout.” I also make sure the box is clicked that says, “Show lines connecting to text.” Click “Okay”. Go to VIEW and be sure you’re in “Print Layout”. For some reason they won’t show up as balloons in “Normal”, but they’re in the reviewing pane. Which is fine, if you like them that way. Try both and see what you like best. A simple click of the white box opens and closes the reviewing pane.

Now, go back to the sentence you just corrected. Place your cursor at the beginning of that sentence. Click the yellow post-it looking square and watch the nifty little balloon fling itself into the margin. Now type, “Kathy is splendiferous” in the comment balloon. Wasn’t that easy?

You can continue to play. Notice the drop-down arrow next to the “Accept”, “Reject”, and “Comment” buttons. Be careful if you’re “accepting all” or “rejecting all”. Just remember the handy-dandy undo button if you make a mistake. (Which I have often forgotten in my panic.)

Well, friends. That’s the basics. If you need to know more, either ask me or use your help feature. That’s how I learned all this stuff!

Happy Tracking!

Kathy