20.1 Track Changes — Enabling & Understanding

Track Changes records every edit made to a document — insertions, deletions, formatting changes, and moves — and attributes each change to its author. The document author can then review each change and decide to accept (keep it) or reject (discard it) individually or all at once.

Enabling Track Changes

• Review tab → Tracking group → Track Changes button — toggles tracking on/off
• Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+E
• When active, the Track Changes button appears highlighted/pressed and a status bar indicator confirms tracking is on
• Once enabled, every edit — including formatting changes — is recorded until tracking is turned off

How Changes Are Displayed

Author Colours

Each reviewer is automatically assigned a unique colour — the first reviewer gets red, the second blue, the third green, and so on. Word assigns colours based on the user's name set in File → Options → General → User name. If multiple people share the same Word user name, their changes appear in the same colour — making identification impossible. Always ensure each reviewer's name is correctly set before reviewing documents.

Display Modes — Controlling What You See

The Display for Review dropdown (Review → Tracking group) controls how tracked changes appear on screen:

20.2 Customising the Tracking Display

Show Markup Options

Review → Tracking → Show Markup dropdown lets you filter which types of markup are visible:

• Comments — show/hide comment bubbles
• Ink — show/hide digital ink annotations
• Insertions and Deletions — show/hide text change markup
• Formatting — show/hide formatting change balloons (untick this to reduce visual noise — formatting changes are rarely the focus of a review)
• Balloons → Show Revisions in Balloons / Show All Revisions Inline / Show Only Comments and Formatting in Balloons
• Specific People — show only the tracked changes from one particular reviewer (useful when multiple people reviewed the document)

Track Changes Options (Advanced Settings)

1. Review → Tracking group → Track Changes dropdown ▾ → Track Changes Options… — or — Review → Tracking → Dialog Launcher ↗
2. The Track Changes Options dialog allows customising:
   • Markup — choose the colour and line style for insertions, deletions, changed lines, and comments
   • By author — the "By author" setting assigns a different colour to each reviewer automatically (recommended — do not override unless you have a specific reason)
   • Balloons — show/hide balloons, balloon width, balloon position (left or right margin)
   • Paper orientation in printing — how balloons print (Force Landscape / Preserve / Auto)

The Reviewing Pane

The Reviewing Pane displays all tracked changes and comments as a scrollable list — the most organised way to see every markup item in sequence.

1. Review → Tracking → Reviewing Pane dropdown
2. Choose: Vertical (opens on the left side) or Horizontal (opens at the bottom)
3. Each change is listed with: Reviewer name, date/time, type of change, and the affected text
4. Click any item in the Reviewing Pane to jump to that location in the document
5. The Reviewing Pane also shows a summary count at the top: "Insertions: 14, Deletions: 7, Formatting: 3, Comments: 5"

20.3 Accepting & Rejecting Tracked Changes

After reviewing all changes, the document author must resolve each one — either keeping (accepting) or discarding (rejecting) it. Accepted changes become permanent; rejected changes are discarded and the original text is restored.

Navigating Between Changes

• Review → Changes group → Next — jumps to the next tracked change in the document
• Review → Changes group → Previous — jumps to the previous tracked change
• Use these to step through every change without missing any

Accepting Changes

Rejecting Changes

Practical Review Workflow

Locking Track Changes (Preventing Reviewers from Turning It Off)

1. Review → Tracking → Track Changes dropdown → Lock Tracking
2. Set a password → OK
3. Track Changes is now locked — reviewers cannot turn it off or accept/reject changes without the password
4. This ensures every edit made by a reviewer is recorded, preventing anyone from making unauthorised changes without a trace
5. To unlock: Review → Track Changes dropdown → Lock Tracking → enter password → OK

20.4 Compare & Combine Documents

When a reviewer returns a document that was edited without Track Changes enabled, you can use Compare to automatically detect all differences between the original and the revised version — generating tracked changes retroactively.

Compare — Two Versions, One Reviewer

Use Compare when one person edited a copy of the document without tracking, and you need to see what changed.

1. Review → Compare group → Compare → Compare…
2. In the Compare Documents dialog:
   • Original document — browse to the original (pre-edit) version
   • Revised document — browse to the reviewer's edited version
   • Label changes with — the reviewer name that will appear on the generated tracked changes (type the reviewer's name)
   • Click More >> for detailed options: choose which elements to compare (Text, Comments, Tables, Fields, Headers, Footnotes, Text boxes, Case changes, White space)
   • Show changes in — New Document (creates a third document with the comparison result — safest option, leaves original and revised untouched)
3. Click OK
4. A new document opens showing the original, revised, and a combined result pane — all differences are marked as tracked changes with the reviewer's name
5. Review and accept/reject changes as normal

Combine — Multiple Reviewers' Versions

Use Combine when several people edited separate copies of the same original document (each without tracking), and you need to merge all their changes into one document.

1. Review → Compare → Combine…
2. Select the Original document and one Revised document → set the reviewer label → OK
3. The combined result shows all differences from both versions as tracked changes
4. To merge a third reviewer's version: take the combined result document → Combine again with the third version
5. Repeat for each additional reviewer version until all revisions are in one document

The Compare Result Pane Layout

20.5 Document Protection — Passwords & Editing Restrictions

Word provides multiple levels of protection — from simple editing restrictions to full password-required-to-open encryption. These tools control who can read, edit, and modify different parts of a document.

Level 1 — Restrict Editing (No Password Required to Open)

1. Review → Protect group → Restrict Editing — or — Developer → Protect → Restrict Editing
2. The Restrict Editing pane opens on the right with three sections:

3. To stop protection: Restrict Editing pane → Stop Protection → enter password if set

Allowing Specific Sections to Be Edited

You can lock most of the document while leaving specific areas editable — ideal for templates where the boilerplate is locked but content areas are editable:

1. Open Restrict Editing pane → set editing restriction to "No changes (Read only)"
2. Before starting enforcement, select the section(s) that should remain editable
3. Under "Exceptions", tick Everyone (or specific users) → the selected area is highlighted in yellow, indicating it is editable
4. Repeat for any other editable sections
5. Click "Yes, Start Enforcing Protection" → set password → OK
6. Now the document is locked everywhere except the highlighted yellow sections
7. Users can press Tab to jump between editable regions quickly

Level 2 — Password to Modify (Anyone Can Read, Only Password-Holders Can Edit)

1. File → Save As → More options… (or press F12 for the full Save As dialog)
2. In the Save As dialog → click Tools dropdown (bottom-left) → General Options…
3. In the General Options dialog:
   • Password to open — anyone attempting to open the file must enter this password. Without it, the document cannot be opened at all. Uses AES-256 encryption.
   • Password to modify — the document can be opened and read by anyone, but only those with this password can save changes (others get a read-only copy)
   • Read-only recommended — shows a prompt when opening suggesting the user opens as read-only (no enforcement — just a polite suggestion)
4. Enter the desired password(s) → OK → confirm each password when prompted → Save

Level 3 — Mark as Final (Discourage but Not Prevent Editing)

1. File → Info → Protect Document → Mark as Final
2. The document is marked as final — the title bar shows "[Read-Only]" and an information banner appears at the top when the document is opened
3. Editing is disabled by default, but any user can click "Edit Anyway" in the banner to resume editing — there is no enforcement or password
4. Use this for: distributing a version you consider final, discouraging casual edits, or indicating a document is ready for signature/approval

The Protect Document Menu Summary

File → Info → Protect Document dropdown gives access to all protection levels from one place:

• Mark as Final
• Encrypt with Password — sets "Password to open"
• Restrict Editing — formatting and editing restrictions
• Restrict Access — Information Rights Management (IRM) via Microsoft 365 — restrict who can read, print, copy, or forward (enterprise feature requiring Azure AD)
• Add a Digital Signature — signs the document with a digital certificate to verify authenticity and detect tampering

20.6 Document Inspector — Removing Hidden Data Before Distribution

Before distributing any document externally, run the Document Inspector to detect and remove sensitive information that may be embedded but not visible — tracked changes, comments, hidden text, personal information, custom XML data, and more.

Running the Document Inspector

1. File → Info → Check for Issues → Inspect Document
2. The Document Inspector dialog lists all categories it can check — tick the categories you want to inspect:
   • Comments, Revisions, Versions, and Annotations — tracked changes and comments
   • Document Properties and Personal Information — author name, company, last modified by, created date stored in file metadata
   • Task Pane Apps
   • Collapsed Headings — text hidden under collapsed headings (invisible but still in the file)
   • Custom XML Data — metadata stored by certain add-ins
   • Headers, Footers, and Watermarks — content in header/footer zones
   • Invisible Content — objects set to invisible (e.g., shapes with visibility turned off)
   • Hidden Text — text formatted as Hidden (Format → Font → Hidden)
3. Click Inspect
4. Results show which categories contain data — click Remove All for any category whose data should be stripped before distribution

20.7 Co-Authoring — Real-Time Simultaneous Editing

Co-authoring allows multiple people to edit the same document at the same time — each person's cursor and edits are visible in real time to all other editors. This is Word's most modern collaboration feature, enabled when the document is stored on OneDrive or SharePoint.

Prerequisites for Co-Authoring

• The document must be saved to OneDrive (personal or Business) or SharePoint Online — not to a local drive or a traditional network share
• All editors must have a Microsoft account (personal OneDrive) or a Microsoft 365 account (SharePoint/OneDrive for Business)
• All editors must have Word 2016 or later (or the Word Online web app)
• The file must be in .docx format (not .doc, .dotx, or other formats)

Saving a Document to OneDrive

1. File → Save As → select OneDrive – Personal or OneDrive – [Organisation Name] from the left panel
2. Choose a folder → click Save
3. The file is now in the cloud — the title bar shows the OneDrive location

Sharing the Document

1. Click the Share button at the top-right of the Word window — or — File → Share
2. The Share pane opens on the right
3. In the "Invite people" field, type the email address(es) of co-authors
4. Set the permission level:
   • Can edit — the recipient can make changes (co-authoring)
   • Can view — the recipient can read but not edit (read-only sharing)
5. Add a message (optional) → click Send
6. An email invitation is sent to each recipient with a link to the document
7. Alternatively: click "Copy Link" to get a shareable URL → paste it in Teams, WhatsApp, or email manually

Managing Link Settings (Who Can Access)

1. In the Share pane → click "Anyone with the link can edit" (or similar) → Link settings
2. Choose who the link works for:
   • Anyone — anyone who receives the link can access (no sign-in required). Use cautiously for sensitive documents.
   • People in [Organisation] — only people within your Microsoft 365 tenant
   • People with existing access — only those already granted access
   • Specific people — only the named individuals you invite
3. Set an optional Expiration date — the link stops working after this date
4. Set an optional Password — recipients must enter this password before accessing via the link
5. Click Apply

Co-Authoring in Action

• When another editor opens the shared document, their name and a coloured cursor appear in your view — you can see where they are typing in real time
• Each co-author is assigned a unique colour — their cursor and any selected text is shown in that colour
• A people icon at the top-right of the Word window shows who is currently in the document — click it to see names
• Changes sync automatically every few seconds — you see the other person's typing appear in real time
• If two people edit the same paragraph simultaneously, Word handles the merge automatically
• If Word cannot automatically merge conflicting changes, it presents a conflict resolution dialog asking which version to keep

AutoSave vs Manual Save in Co-Authoring

Viewing Version History

1. File → Info → Version History — or — click the document title in the title bar → Version History
2. A panel lists every auto-saved version with date, time, and editor name
3. Click any version to open it in a separate window — compare it with the current version
4. Click Restore to roll back the document to that saved state

20.8 Word Online & Microsoft Teams Integration

Word Online (Browser-Based)

Word Online is the free web version of Word — accessible at office.com or onedrive.live.com from any browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox). It requires no installation.

• Co-authoring: Full real-time co-authoring support — the primary reason to use Word Online
• Limitations vs Desktop Word: Some advanced features are unavailable or simplified — macros, complex mail merges, certain formatting, and some reference features. For complex document work, always use the desktop app.
• Switching: While in Word Online, click "Editing → Open in Desktop App" to open the same cloud document in your desktop Word installation — all changes continue syncing via OneDrive

Microsoft Teams Integration

• Any Word document shared in a Teams channel can be opened and co-authored directly within Teams (using Word Online) or in the desktop app
• Teams chats and channel conversations appear alongside the document in Teams — discussion context stays with the file
• To share a Word file in Teams: drag the file into a Teams chat or channel → it uploads to SharePoint → co-authors can open it directly from the Teams message

20.9 Accessibility Checker

The Accessibility Checker identifies content in your document that may be difficult or impossible for people with disabilities to read — particularly users relying on screen readers. Running it before distribution is a professional best practice for any document shared with the public or within a diverse organisation.

Running the Accessibility Checker

1. Review → Accessibility group → Check Accessibility — or — File → Info → Check for Issues → Check Accessibility
2. The Accessibility pane opens on the right, listing issues in three categories:
   • Errors — content that is inaccessible (e.g., images with no alt text, tables with no header row, blank table cells used as spacers)
   • Warnings — content that may be difficult to read (e.g., text with insufficient colour contrast, tables with merged cells that confuse screen readers)
   • Intelligent Services — AI-suggested improvements (e.g., suggested alt text for images)
3. Click any issue in the list — Word jumps to the affected element and shows a recommended fix in the pane
4. Click "Fix" next to any issue to apply the suggested correction automatically — or — click "Why Fix?" to understand the accessibility impact

Most Common Accessibility Issues in Word Documents

20.10 Quick Self-Check

Q1: You send a contract to a lawyer for review. She returns it with changes but without Track Changes enabled — you cannot tell what she changed. What Word feature allows you to identify all her changes, and how do you use it?

✓ Use Compare. Review → Compare → Compare. Set Original document to your original file and Revised document to the lawyer's version. Enter her name in "Label changes with". Click OK. Word generates a new document showing all differences as tracked changes attributed to the lawyer. You can then review, accept, or reject each change as normal.

Q2: You need to send a policy document to five department heads, each of whom will return an edited copy without Track Changes. You want to merge all five reviewers' changes into a single document for the board to review. How do you do this?

✓ Use Combine repeatedly. Review → Compare → Combine. Original document: the original policy; Revised document: Head 1's version. Label with Head 1's name. OK. This creates a combined result document. Take that combined result as the new "original" → Combine again with Head 2's version (label with Head 2's name). Repeat for Heads 3, 4, and 5. After five Combine operations, you have one document containing all five reviewers' changes as tracked changes, each attributed to the correct person.

Q3: You are about to email a report to a client. A colleague warns that the document may still contain tracked changes and reviewer comments from the internal review process. What is the safest way to check and clean the document before sending?

✓ Make a copy of the document first. On the copy: File → Info → Check for Issues → Inspect Document. Tick Comments, Revisions, Versions and Annotations; Document Properties and Personal Information; Hidden Text. Click Inspect. For any category showing data, click Remove All. Save the inspected copy and send that — never the original (which retains the tracked changes for your records).

Q4: You switch the Display for Review to "No Markup" and the document looks clean and final. You email it to the client. The client calls back saying they can see all the reviewer's comments and red strikethrough text. What went wrong?

✓ "No Markup" only hides the tracked changes from your view on screen — it does NOT accept or remove them. The changes are still embedded in the file and fully visible when the client opens it in their Word. Fix (for future): always Accept All Changes and Delete All Comments before distributing, or run Document Inspector → Remove All on tracked changes. Use "No Markup" only for your own preview purposes, never as a distribution step.

Q5: You want to share a Word document on OneDrive with your team so everyone can edit it simultaneously. Walk through the steps to enable co-authoring.

✓ Steps: (1) File → Save As → select OneDrive (Personal or Business) → choose a folder → Save. (2) Click the Share button (top-right of Word window). (3) In the Share pane, type team members' email addresses. (4) Set permission to "Can edit". (5) Click Send. (6) Team members receive an email link. When they click it, the document opens and all editors can work simultaneously — each person's cursor appears in a unique colour in real time. AutoSave activates automatically since the file is on OneDrive.

Q6: You want to lock a letter template so that users can only type in the designated name, date, and body fields — they cannot change the letterhead, footer, or any other fixed text. How do you set this up?

✓ Review → Restrict Editing pane. Under "2. Editing restrictions", tick "Allow only this type of editing" → select "No changes (Read only)". Before enforcing: select the name field area → under Exceptions tick "Everyone" (highlighted in yellow). Repeat for the date field and body area. Now click "Yes, Start Enforcing Protection" → set a password → OK. Users can only click into the yellow highlighted areas. Tab jumps between editable regions. The letterhead, logo, footer, and all fixed text are locked and cannot be modified.

✓ Module 20 Complete — You Have Learned:

• Track Changes — enabling (Ctrl+Shift+E), how insertions/deletions/formatting/moves appear, author colour assignment
• Display for Review — All Markup, Simple Markup, No Markup, Original — what each shows and when to use each
• Critical warning: "No Markup" does NOT remove tracked changes — always Accept All before distributing
• Show Markup options — filtering by type (Comments, Insertions, Formatting) and by specific reviewer
• Track Changes Options — customising colours and balloon settings
• Reviewing Pane — Vertical and Horizontal, navigating via the pane, summary count
• Accepting changes — Accept current, Accept and Move to Next, Accept All, Accept All and Stop Tracking
• Rejecting changes — Reject current, Reject and Move to Next, Reject All
• Recommended sequential review workflow (8 steps including Document Inspect at the end)
• Locking Track Changes with a password so reviewers cannot turn it off
• Compare — detecting changes when a reviewer edited without Track Changes; the three-pane result layout
• Combine — merging multiple reviewers' versions by chaining Combine operations
• Compare vs Combine — when to use each
• Restrict Editing — the three sections (Formatting, Editing, Enforcement); all four editing restriction modes; allowing exceptions in specific sections; Tab navigation between editable regions
• Password to Modify and Password to Open — via Save As → Tools → General Options; AES-256 encryption; password warning
• Mark as Final — soft discourage, Edit Anyway override
• Protect Document menu — all five options including Digital Signature and IRM
• Document Inspector — all eight inspection categories; make a copy first warning
• Co-authoring prerequisites (OneDrive/SharePoint, .docx format, Microsoft accounts)
• Saving to OneDrive, sharing the document, permission levels (Can edit / Can view)
• Link settings — Anyone / Organisation / Specific people; expiration date; link password
• Co-authoring in action — coloured cursors, real-time sync, conflict resolution
• AutoSave vs manual save; Version History — viewing and restoring previous versions
• Word Online — browser-based editing, co-authoring, limitations vs desktop
• Teams integration — sharing, co-authoring within Teams
• Accessibility Checker — Errors/Warnings categories, five most common issues with fixes