The author of a document is reverting to a previous author

[abnewallo]

I have a word document that has had several versions by different writers
over a period of time. Also persons would have made electronic contributions
to the document and returned it with their changes. What I have noticed is
that the document is now showing up with the author field changed.

I am puzzled because the last version of the document would have had myself
as the author and no one is claiming to have manually changed the author
field under properties.

I need help confirming if their is a feature/bug in the system that would
inadvertently change the author field if someone else uses the document on
their system.

 

[Terry Farrell]

It is more likely that one of the editors created a backup before editing by
using SaveAs and creating a copy. If that copy was then used, it would have
the author's name attached.

 

[abnewallo]

Thanks terry for your initial assistance.

But I tried as I think you said by:
1. Opening the original file
2. Selecting 'Save As' and calling the new file by another name.
3. Opening the new file and editing the file.
4. Saving the new file with the changes.

Unfortunately the author has remained as the original person who sent the
file.

Andrew

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

There are other possibilities. One would be that one of the authors, instead
of opening the file directly, created a new version using an existing
version as if it were a template. If this were the case, then you likely
would see a newer Created date in the Document Properties' Statistics tab.

Another possibility would be that someone copied the version that was sent
around to the clipboard, and pasted it into a new Document # window, and
saved it with the original name. This would also result in a newer Created
date.

There likely are other possibilities, as well.

If you want to make sure it doesn't happen again, lock it for tracked
changes and use a password.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Herb got this correct. I actually meant that the user opened a new version
from the original as though it was a template which would have appended
him/her as the author. That's what happens when my brain and fingers get out
of sync!

Terry