Old "Comment" Style in Word 2004 for Mac...

[Robert R. Champion]

I'm preparing a doc where I want to highlight tracked changes, but I also
would like to insert "Comments" in several places.

In the old OS 9 days, I'd just insert a Comment, and it would show up both
in the "comments panel" and in a yellow balloon when one hovered over it.

With Word 2204, one not only gets the comments in the comments panel but
every change that has been made.

I'd like the recipient to be able to read comments but not have to see every
addition/deletion/format change made to the doc. Anyway to do this?

Bob C
San Francisco

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Your recipient will see what their version of Word allows them, and what
they have set up as their preferences. If they are still using Word X or
earlier, I think it's the old Comment pane, as usual.

Most people using Word 2004 (I suspect) have given up on the Reviewing Pane
(that panel at the bottom that shows *everything*) and use the balloons in
the margin instead (must be in Page Layout). You can turn them on via Word
| Preferences | Track Changes. Between the prefs there and the Show options
on the reviewing toolbar, one can usually customize something efficient. If
your recipient is using Word 2004, you might need to introduce them to the
balloons.

The Reviewing Pane is a sort of half-done implementation, and allows little
control.

If all they need to do is read the comments, not Accept the changes, a handy
thing is to print as PDF with the balloons, and send that. I've graded
student papers that way, and it's much easier than teaching people how to
use the Reviewing features.

Hope that helps,