| Quickly and Easily Monitor Changes in a Shared | | | | changes on screen option back on, and reviewing the |
| Spreadsheet Document | | | | work that was performed. |
| Microsoft's Track Changes function allows revisions to | | | | How to accept the changes in a document |
| be made to a document and keeps a complete | | | | Now, if you click on a cell that has been changed, a |
| record of all changes made. This can be useful if | | | | pop-up window will show you the new value (i.e., the |
| you've created a business document that you would | | | | changed value), the old value, and the time that the |
| like a coworker to revise and proofread. All your | | | | value was changed. You can then click on Track |
| coworker needs to do is turn on the Track Changes | | | | Changes again and select Accept/Reject Changes. |
| function and all of the changes that he or she makes | | | | After clicking Accept/Reject Changes, click OK. |
| will be recorded. Once the document has been | | | | Another pop-up will appear at this point, asking you |
| returned to you, you can then easily accept or reject | | | | to select the changes that should be accepted or |
| each change as you see fit. | | | | rejected (you're then given the choice of selecting |
| While Track Changes is most often used in Microsoft | | | | the changes based on the aforementioned three |
| Word, Excel also contains this useful feature. The | | | | options: When, Who, and Where). Excel will then |
| following is a step-by-step guide to tracking changes | | | | begin showing you every change that was made, |
| in Microsoft Excel 2007. | | | | based on which option you have selected, asking you |
| Turning on Track Changes | | | | to accept or reject each one. After you have gone |
| - Open an Excel document and click on the Review | | | | through each change and accepted or rejected it, |
| tab. | | | | click on the Track Changes drop-down menu again, |
| - Click the Track Changes button (located on the far | | | | selecting the Highlight Changes options. A new |
| right) | | | | feature will now be available in the menu asking you |
| - A small drop-down menu will now appear. Click on | | | | if you would like to List Changes on a new sheet. If |
| Highlight Changes. | | | | you click OK, all the changes made to the document |
| - In the dialogue box that opens, check the box next | | | | will be shown in a new sheet, making it very simple |
| to Track Changes while editing. | | | | to quickly survey a large amount of information. |
| - You now have the following options: | | | | There are a couple of important points that you |
| - The When option allows you to determine when | | | | should remember when tracking changes in Excel: |
| Excel should track changes. Selecting All means that | | | | - If you have a document with tracked cells, turning |
| every change will be tracked. You also have the | | | | Track Changes off will automatically accept the |
| choice of highlighting changes since the last time you | | | | changes that were made; they will not appear as |
| saved, since a particular date, or since changes were | | | | tracked changes in subsequent versions of the |
| made that have not yet been reviewed. | | | | document. This means that if you want to keep a |
| - Selecting the Who option allows you to determine | | | | record of the changes made to the document, be |
| which user's changes should be tracked. You have | | | | sure to save it before turning Track Changes off. I |
| the option of choosing Everyone or Everyone but | | | | recommend the following process: |
| Me. | | | | - Before turning Track Changes off, click Save As |
| - The Where option allows you to specify the range | | | | and save a version of the document with the suffix |
| of cells wherein changes will be tracked. | | | | "TRACKED_REVISED." |
| - Lastly, you can check or uncheck the Highlight | | | | - Then, without turning off Track Changes or |
| Changes on screen option, depending on whether or | | | | modifying the document, click Save As and then |
| not you want others to know that you are tracking | | | | save another copy with the new suffix |
| changes (changes can also be listed on a new sheet; | | | | "CLEAN_REVISED." |
| instructions for this option are listed below). | | | | - Turn off Track Changes and then click Save (as |
| - After you have made your selections, click OK. | | | | opposed to Save As). At this point, you'll have the |
| Why is this useful? | | | | TRACKED_REVISED version showing tracked |
| Tracking changes in Excel is less about editing and | | | | changes and the CLEAN_REVISED version with |
| more about remaining aware of work that is being | | | | changes integrated. |
| performed on a document by one or more users. For | | | | - When you open a tracked Excel document, be |
| example, if you have an Excel document that needs | | | | aware that you may not be seeing all the changes |
| to be worked on by a number of people, you would | | | | made to the document. This is because the default |
| create the document, follow the instructions above, | | | | setting in Excel shows only the tracked changes |
| and uncheck the Highlight Changes on screen option. | | | | made since the last time the document was saved. |
| You would then send the document to all the people | | | | To see all changes in the document, simply choose All |
| assigned to work on it; all of their changes will be | | | | in the When section of the Track Changes dialogue |
| recorded, although they won't see this on the screen | | | | box. |
| (remember, you've unchecked the Highlight Changes | | | | There you have it! Tracking changes in Excel is easy |
| on screen option). When the document is returned to | | | | once you know the steps discussed above. |
| you, it's simply a matter of turning the Highlight | | | | |