Working with other people on a Word document can be a real challenge. Even experienced Microsoft 365 users may find it challenging to edit and review shared documents.
However, you can easily collaborate in real-time on a Word document while keeping track of any changes and approving or rejecting them. We’ll take a look at the necessary tools and how you can use them for the most efficient collaboration.
What Do You Need to Collaborate on a Word Document?
If you want to collaborate in real-time on a Word document, you have to save it on your OneDrive account. To do so, open the document, go toFile > Save As,and save it in OneDrive.
Additionally, we recommend using a more recent version of Microsoft 365 and having an active subscription. According toMicrosoft, you can still edit the document simultaneously with other people, but you’ll not have the real-time collaboration feature.
To see other people’s changes, you need to refresh the document periodically. If your subscription is expired, there are a few ways toget a discount on a new Microsoft 365 subscription.
How to Share a Word Document
Now that you know what you need to work with other people on the same Word document, let’s take a look at how you can share it. The first option is to share it from within Word. Open theFilemenu and selectShare.
You’ll notice there are two different options:
No matter which method you use, take the time and set the right permissions. Click theEditicon and choose if the people you’re sharing the document with can only view or edit it.
Then, click theSharing settingsoption. There, you’re able to set an expiration date for the document and even set a password to keep the information secure. Once you’re happy with your sharing settings, clickApply.
Alternatively, you can share the Word document through OneDrive by right-clicking on the file and selectingOneDrive > Share. Then, you’ll have to set the sharing settings as shown above.
How to Track and Review Changes in Microsoft Word
Depending on the set permission, people with whom you’ve shared the document can edit the document. To keep an eye on the changes made by everyone, you should turn on theTrack Changesfeature.
To do so, open theReviewtab, and head to theTrackingmenu. There, open theTrack changesmenu and selectFor everyone. When the feature is enabled, Word will underline added text while removed text will be marked with a strikethrough.
Now, if you want to stop anyone else from accidentally turning off this feature, click on theLock Trackingoption and set up a password. This way, you can make sure you’re not missing any changes made to the document.
Select How Microsoft Word Display Changes
For more efficiency, Word allows you to select how it should display the changes made to the document. In theReviewtab, open the drop-down menu next to theDisplay for Reviewicon. There, choose one of the following options:
How to Accept or Reject Changes in Microsoft Word
To accept or reject changes, right-click on the tracked change and select eitherAccept InsertionorReject Insertion, depending on whether someone has added or deleted text. If somebody else has deleted a part of the document, you’ll see theAccept DeletionandReject Deletionoptions.
While the process is simple, you might miss some changes, if there are a lot of contributors working on the same document. If you want to verify you’re not missing anything, use theChangessection instead of manually going through the document. There, use thePreviousandNextbuttons to navigate through the changes.
There are more ways to manage tracked changes. For example, you may clickAccept > Accept and move to next. If you’ve already discussed with your coworkers about the edits, you can use theAccept all changesoption.
Similarly, you may reject changes by clicking theRejectbutton orReject > Reject and move to next. To delete all changes, go to the Review tab, click on the arrow belowReject, and selectReject All Changes. This can be really useful if someoneimported a large volume of data in Wordwithout consulting with you first.
Use the Reviewing Pane to Track Changes in Microsoft Word
Another efficient way to keep track of any modifications is to use the Reviewing Pane. This tool will show you the number of visible tracked changes and comments within your document.
To access it, go toReview > Trackingand click on theReview Pane. Then, select one of theReviewing Pane VerticalorReviewing Pane Horizontaloptions.
How to Track Changes Made by Specific People in Microsoft Word
It might be more efficient to sort out changes by author. To do so in Microsoft Word, head toReview > Trackingand extend theShow Markupmenu. There, selectSpecific peopleand uncheck all the boxes except for the ones corresponding to the authors whose changes you want to review.
How to Stop Sharing the Document or Change Permissions in Microsoft Word
If you want to stop sharing the document with specific contributors, open the document and head to theSharemenu. There, selectManage access.
To remove access to one of the contributors, select their username. Then, clickDirect accessand open the drop-down menu. SelectRemove accessand confirm the action. Alternatively, use the same menu to change how they can access the shared document.
Collaborate With Ease in Microsoft Word
Using Microsoft Word’s collaboration tools can save you a lot of time, as you don’t have to email your team members about any changes made to the document. Besides its collaborative capacity, Microsoft Word has plenty of features and tools, so you don’t need another word processor to finish your projects. For example, you may convert tables to graphs or translate languages on the go.
