Microsoft Word – Two Often Overlooked Power Tools
Image sourced by Glenn Carstens-Peters @glenncarstenspeters
Probably like you, I’ve been using Microsoft Word for a long, long time. And as a long-time writer, Microsoft Word and I are joined at the hip.
When I write blog posts and books, I draft the article or chapter. I edit a draft or two online. Then I go ‘old school’ and yes, print out a hard copy to edit some more.
Somehow, reading a hard copy of a document helps me focus. Maybe it’s that I grew up that way – pre-computers. Or maybe it’s the physical paper that helps me focus.
Sometimes, when a document is very important, for example, an important letter or a legal contract, I’ll leave my office, walk to the conference room, shut the door and sequester myself. This helps to eliminate distractions and focus.
Consider these two often overlooked Microsoft Word power tools to enhance the quality of your writing and help you succeed 10X:
1. Compare Documents
‘Microsoft Compare Documents’ function allows you to compare two documents – the text in one document against another document.
Close any Word documents that you have open.
To activate Compare Documents:
Open Microsoft Word (obviously).
On the NAVBAR, click ‘Review’. It’s towards the right side, in between ‘Mailings’ and ‘Review’.
Towards the right, click on ‘Compare’.
Click on ‘Compare’ again.
Select ‘Compare two versions of a document (legal blackline)’.
In the popup box, in the ‘Original Document’ box, select the document you want to analyze. Typically, I select the text in the old document or original document, for example ‘Version 1’.
In the same popup box, in the ‘Revised Document’ box, select the document you want to see the changes as compared to the original document. Typically, I select for example ‘Version 2’.
In that same popup box, click ‘More’. I leave the default options as is. But, I recommend you select ‘Show Changes in a new document’.
Then click ‘Okay’ and Microsoft Word generates a new document which shows a bunch of track changes. These are the differences between the two documents. Text from Version 1 that was deleted in Version 2 will show as crossed out. Test that was added in Version 2 will be underlined.
You may want to save the compare document as a new file if you might want it for future reference.
One little used use for the Compare Documents function is that it’s very helpful to see whether one party to a transaction has modified a document from the prior draft.
Years ago when I worked at Citibank, I heard a story about a lender and borrower that were negotiating a loan financing. As the story goes, the lender modified a few terms and conditions in the loan agreement. Even though the parties were using Track Changes, the lender had accepted all the changes they made so the draft didn’t show any changes or modifications. That’s called a ‘clean copy’.
Compare Documents revealed the ‘hidden treasure’ or ‘ditch in the middle of the road’.
That was a very good lesson!
As my accountant says, “Trust but verify.”
Another technique is to ask all parties to a transaction to initial the bottom of each page. Then save a photocopy of the initialed document.
Good thing the borrower hadn’t signed the loan agreement before they ran Compare Documents.
Although, they may have been able to reopen the deal. But why chance it.
This may not be the most positive or uplifting tip we have ever written. But it could save you big-time in a business or other financial deal.
2. Track Changes
When I revise draft blog posts and make edits, I activate Track Changes.
Track Changes marks newly inserted and deleted text in the writer’s color – red, blue, green, etc. If multiple people work on a document, each person’s changes/edits appear in a different color. The underlines and cross-outs call the changes to your attention.
Microsoft Word crosses out deletions and inserts a line over each deletion. For new text, the Microsoft Word program underlines the new text.
When I I print every other draft or so, I make edits in longhand.
Then I input – keyboard – the edits into the Word document.
After I input my handwritten edits, I compare the draft that contains the edits against the draft with the handwritten edits. On the hard copy (printout), I mark out (check off) each edit.
This makes it easy to see whether I input all my edits into the article. This process is especially important with how-to books and articles because accuracy and clarity counts. I can see which edits I have input and addressed and which are still open. If I take a break, take a phone call or move on to handle another task, this editing technique helps me find the spot where I left off and capture all the edits.
Lawyers use the Track Changes function to compare versions of contracts and other legal agreements to see what changed and whether changes the parties discussed were accurately reflected in the document.
I have used Track Changes to edit business proposals, important letters, legal contracts, blog posts, articles and books.
To activate Track Changes:
Open Microsoft Word (obviously).
On the NAVBAR, click ‘Review’. It’s towards the right side, in between ‘Mailings’ and ‘Review’.
Click on ‘Track Changes’ to activate the Track Changes function. When it’s activated, the ‘Track Changes’ icon will be shaded.
Before you start editing, test a word or two.
Towards the right side of the NAVBAR, you’ll notice a little box, which could say ‘Final Showing Marking’; ‘Final’; ‘Original Showing Markup’ or ‘Original’. I prefer to use ‘Final Showing Markup’. Set the toggle as you like.
To the left of the box is an icon ‘Balloons’. To the left of that is ‘Track Changes’.
Click on ‘Track Changes’.
There are two other choices below the ‘Track Changes’ icon: ‘Change Tracking Options’ and ‘Change User Name’.
After you review the Microsoft Word document, when you’re ready to accept or reject the newly input edits, move to the right of the little box. You’ll see two icons: ‘Accept’ and ‘Reject’. You can accept or reject the changes one by one or in total.
Even when you use these functions, be sure to proofread your documents carefully – who knows what you’ll find.
And if you use the ‘Find and Replace’ function, be wary of selecting ‘All’. Pressing ‘All’ will replace all the words Microsoft Word finds. Sometimes, the words you intend to replace are correct as is. One example we’ve seen is the difference between singular and plural. Proofread each document carefully.
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Arthur V.
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