55 min read

Track Changes & Reviewing

Track, accept, reject, compare, and combine documents.

Why Track Changes

The behaviour chapter must pass Dr. Helen Marsh's review without losing the original wording. Track Changes records insertions, deletions, and formatting edits as markup visible to reviewers, with author names and timestamps. Word shows what changed in colour instead of hiding old and new text silently. Delete *may* and type *must* in the behaviour section — the old word shows struck through and *must* appears in red until someone accepts the change. Leaving Track Changes on when exporting PDF means coloured insertions can print in the parent copy — accept or reject every change before print.

Turn On Track Changes

Dr. Helen Marsh reviews the behaviour chapter before printing. 1 Open NorthgateHandbook.docx . 2 Review tab \to Track Changes (toggle on). 3 Review tab \to Track Changes drop-down \to For Everyone if your version offers it. While Track Changes is on, every insertion, deletion, and format change is recorded. Set Display for Review to All Markup while Dr. Helen Marsh edits — No Markup hides colours but does not accept changes.

Review Tab — Markup Controls

Button Ribbon path Purpose Track Changes Review \to Track Changes Toggle recording on/off All Markup Review \to Display for Review Show insertions and deletions Accept Review \to Accept Apply one change Reject Review \to Reject Restore original text Use Previous / Next to walk through every change. Accepting applies the change permanently. Rejecting restores the original text.

Button	Ribbon path	Purpose
Track Changes	Review → Track Changes	Toggle recording on/off
All Markup	Review → Display for Review	Show insertions and deletions
Accept	Review → Accept	Apply one change
Reject	Review → Reject	Restore original text

Make an Edit

1 Go to the Behaviour section. 2 Delete a word or type a clearer sentence. 3 Inserted text appears in colour (often red). Deleted text may show as strikethrough in the margin or inline. Your name or Author may appear in the markup balloon if Word is signed in. A stricter mobile-phone rule appears in red markup — James Okonkwo accepts or rejects each change before parents see NorthgateHandbook.docx .

Accept and Reject

James Okonkwo finishes the review: 1 Review tab \to Accept drop-down \to Accept and Move to Next . 2 Or Reject to undo that change. 3 Use Previous / Next to walk through every change. 4 Review tab \to Track Changes off when the document is final. Example: turn Track Changes on, in Behaviour change *Students must* to *Students should*, save — markup shows both versions — admin opens the file later \to Review \to Accept on that change only.

Finalise Before Print

Before File \to Print on NorthgateHandbook.docx : 1 Review \to Accept \to Accept All Changes (or walk through each one). 2 Review \to Track Changes \to Off . 3 Switch Display for Review to No Markup and read once — text should look clean. 4 Save with Ctrl+S . Markup must not reach the printed handbook in the Northgate Academy foyer. Coloured insertions and margin balloons can appear in Print Preview if changes are not accepted — accept or reject every change, turn Track Changes off, then open File \to Print .

What This Lesson Covers

Blazer supplier prices must be confirmed before NorthgateHandbook.docx goes to the printer. A comment is a review note attached to selected text — it appears in the margin or Review pane and does not alter the document body unless you copy text into the paragraph.

Dr. Helen Marsh leaves Check blazer supplier price before we print on the uniform paragraph — James Okonkwo resolves it after the quote arrives. Comments are sticky notes for colleagues — visible on screen, hidden from print by default. Do not confuse comments with Track Changes — comments never replace body text.

In this lesson you will learn comments on the Review tab — questions that do not change printed handbook text. You will also add a comment on the blazer paragraph and resolve it after confirmation.

Add a Comment

Comments are notes — they do not change the printed text unless you copy them into the body. 1 Select the sentence about the navy blazer. 2 Review tab \to New Comment . 3 Type: Check blazer supplier price before we print. 4 Click outside the comment pane. On the navy blazer bullet: Review \to New Comment \to Confirm size chart with supplier. A margin marker shows where the comment attaches.

Review Tab — Comment Tools

Action Ribbon path New Comment Review \to Comments \to New Comment Reply Click comment \to Reply Resolve Click comment \to Resolve Delete Click comment \to Delete Show Comments Review \to Show Comments toggle James Okonkwo opens Show Comments to see every open question before sending NorthgateHandbook.docx to print. Review \to Reviewing Pane lists every comment in one scrollable list — faster than hunting margin markers on page 8.

Action	Ribbon path
New Comment	Review → Comments → New Comment
Reply	Click comment → Reply
Resolve	Click comment → Resolve
Delete	Click comment → Delete
Show Comments	Review → Show Comments toggle

Reply and Resolve

1 Click the comment marker. 2 Click Reply to answer the principal. 3 When the price is confirmed, click Resolve (or Delete if no longer needed). Resolved comments hide from the default view but can be shown again from the Review pane. Example: open the blazer price comment, reply Quote received — £42, OK to print., click Resolve, then Review \to Show Comments — the thread no longer blocks the margin.

Comments vs Track Changes

Feature Track Changes Comment Changes body text? Yes — shows insert/delete No — note only Prints by default? Yes if not accepted No Best for Editing words Questions and reminders Typical comment thread on the Uniform chapter: Dr. Helen Marsh asks Verify shoe colour — black or dark brown?; James Okonkwo replies Supplier list says black only — updated bullet. Resolve the thread after updating handbook text if needed. Comments capture the conversation; Track Changes captures the exact word edits.

Feature	Track Changes	Comment
Changes body text?	Yes — shows insert/delete	No — note only
Prints by default?	Yes if not accepted	No
Best for	Editing words	Questions and reminders

Northgate Uniform Review

Before print, open Review \to Show Comments and confirm zero unresolved threads on Uniform . If a comment asks you to change body text, make the edit with Track Changes or directly, then resolve the comment — do not leave the question open on the PDF source file. Comments do not print in the parent handbook by default. They do not replace selected text with bold and they do not become mail merge fields — they are review-only notes for staff.

Hands-on steps

Goal

$Turn on Track Changes and edit one uniform bullet.$

$James Okonkwo adds this to NorthgateHandbook.docx as part of one polished student handbook, policy pack, and open-day collateral before families arrive.$

Enable tracking

Where

Review

Do this

Review \to Track Changes \to Track Changes ON.

You should see

$Tracking indicator on status bar.$

Verification

Check your work

You are correct if all of these are true:

$Edit visible as tracked change — not silent edit.$
$Comment attached to relevant uniform text.$
$You know Accept/Reject location for Helen's review.$

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