Revision bars in margin

[Bill Neiman]

I'm writing a document illustrating changes to published text, and I'd like
to identify the changed text using revision bars in the left margin. Can
that be done? (Using Word 2002.)

 

[DeanH]

Not to sure about 2002, but in 2000 and 2003 you are refering the "Changed
lines" within the Track Changes function. Are you using Track Changes to do
your revisions?
Usually these lines are default and when in TC mode they are in the left
margin. To find them go to Tools, Options, Track Changes, Changed Lines and
check that the option is set to Outside border and not None.
Hope this helps
DeanH

 

[Bill Neiman]

Dean,

Thanks for your response. I did discover how to do this with Track
Changes, but I was hoping to do it by explicit formatting instead. I'll be
submitting this document for review, and the reviewers will use Track
Changes, and I don't want the updates I'm trying to highlight to be lost
among the reviewers' comments. And I'll want my revision bars to persist in
the document after the reviewers' comments have been accepted.

Bill

 

[DeanH]

If the reviewers and editors setup is default then the changes by different
contributors should be displayed differently, i.e. different colours and also
a user name (taken from the Word User Information), so they should see the
difference between yours and others changes.
As to explicit formatting, AFAIK the Changed Lines cannot be assigned to a
style/format. You could create a Character style with say highlight/font
colour/etc. assigned for contrast, but this could confuse the reviewers.
As you say the reviewers are planning to use Track Changes, therefore it
implies that they are used to its foibles.
If you do find out if Changed lines can be assigned to a style/format,
please repost here for future reference.
All the best
DeanH