Resources > TechNotes > Software > Collaboration via E-mail

Application Software

Distance Education

Hardware

Internet and
World-Wide Web

Operating Systems

Technology at JCCC

Web Authoring

Tips and Tricks
or Secrets of the Geeks

Microsoft Word and WordPerfect have revision features that support two or more authors collaborating on a single document. The process includes one author composing a draft, sending it to the second author for revisions and annotations (comments), the second author returning the document to the first who then accepts, rejects or modifies the revisions and reacts to the annotations. This process is made easier by the revision marks that clearly identify each author's contributions to the project.

Note: Because JCCC uses Microsoft Word for Windows 95 (version 7.0) as its administrative standard, this handout focuses on that version of the software.

Components Used for Collaboration

• Annotation marks are used to comment on a document without changing it. An annotation mark appears in the body of the document and the actual text of the annotation appears in the Annotation pane (bottom of the window)
• When you make changes to a document, revision marks can be used to mark inserted, deleted, and moved text.
• Highlighted text is used to emphasize specific text. It draws the readers attention to a word, phrase, or text string.

To Mark Changes with Revision Marks

1. Open the document you want to revise.
2. Select the ToolsąRevisions command.
3. When the Revisions dialog box appears (as shown in Figure 1), select the Mark Revisions While Editing check box.

Figure 1

Note: This is the same dialog box you use to merge revisions that you accept into the final dialog box.

4. Click the OK button to close the dialog box.

The status bar (bottom of the Word window) displays the letters MRK in bold when revision marking is on, and dimmed when the feature is off. You can double-click MRK on the status bar to display the Revisions dialog box.

To Format Revision Marks

1. Be sure the document you want to revise is open.
2. Select the ToolsąOptions command.
3. Select the Revisions tab on the Options dialog box as shown in Figure2.

Figure 2

Notice that by default:

• Inserted text style is underlined (see Preview box in Figure 1)
• Deleted text style is strikethrough (see Preview box in Figure 1)
• Revised lines appear outside the border (see Preview box in Figure 1)
• Highlight color is Yellow (see Preview box in Figure 1)

Each of these default options can be changed by clicking the drop-down list button to the right of the field containing the current setting. In each case, you'll see additional options. For the Inserted Text, Deleted Text, Highlight Color, and Revised Lines Color fields; your options are to use specific colors (Black, Blue, Cyan, Green, Yellow, and so on). For the Revised Lines field; your options are Left Border, Right Border, Outside Border, or None. In each case, as you change the setting, the Preview box shows a thumbnail image of the results.

4. When done setting the options, click the OK button to close the dialog box.

Incorporating the Reviewer's Comments

To incorporate or delete the revision marks added by reviewers, complete these steps:

1. Open the document and review all revision marks.
2. Delete any revisions, you choose not to include in the final draft of the document.
3. Select the ToolsąRevision command.
4. When the Revisions dialog box appears (as shown in Figure 3), click the Accept All button.

Figure 3

You have the option on this dialog box to:

• Click the Review button and review (accept or reject) each revision one by one.
• Click the Reject All button to reject and remove all revisions from the document.

5. When done, click OK to close the dilaog box.

Using Annotations

1. You can add an annotation to a document by selecting the InsertąAnnotation command.
2. When the Annotation pane appears (as shown in Figure 4), type the text of your comment.

3. When done, click the Close button at the top of the Annotation pane.
4. To view annotations in a document, select the ViewąAnnotation command.

Note: To display annotation marks and other nonprinting characters in a document, select the ToolsąOptions command. Then click the View tab, and select the Hidden Text check box. To hide annotation marks, clear the Hidden Text check box. You must have the Hidden Text check box selected (on the Normal View Options tab of the Options dialog box) in order to select and delete an annotation.

Deleting Annotations

1. To delete an annotation, make the annotation characters visible (see above note).
2. Click on the annotation label in the text to select it.
3. Press the Delete key to remove the annotation.