How to Use Record Text Document Changes in Open Office

Open Office Text Document writer has an editing and proofreading function that allows different users to change documents without altering the original. The "Change" function produces an easy-to-use tracking system for edits made within the text document, complete with user labeling and date stamps.Follow this tutorial to start recording text document changes in the Open Office program. This works in both Microsoft Word .doc and Rich Text .rtf formats.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Using the Change Function While Editing

1. In the Open Office text document, go to the upper right corner of the screen and click on the "Edit" menu. Alternately, use the macro Alt + E to produce the pull-down menu.

2. On the list is an option called "Changes" with a small black arrow. Highlight this option and click on it to pull down the sub-menu.

3. Select the "Record" function from this new menu. A black check will appear next to the option to show that it's on and working.

4. Edit the document as normal. However, note that the original document isn't being altered. Instead, edits are shown in proofreader fashion. All edits are in another color. Deleted words are in strike-through font, and added spaces are shown as underlines. It can be a bit confusing at first, so be careful.

5. When finished, save the document in Microsoft Word .doc or Rich Text Format .rtf formats. This way, Microsoft Word can open and read the changes, as well as Open Office program users.

Accepting and Working with Changes

6. Open the proofed document. The original user can now make more edits on their own. Since the document is still recording changes, the new edits will show up in an additional color, with the same attributes as those listed above.

7. When done, it will be necessary to merge or accept the new changes in order to normalize the document. Click on the "Edit" menu or use macro Alt + E to bring up the pull-down menu.

8. Highlight "Changes" to bring up the sub-menu. This time, select "Accept or Reject". Open Office will produce a list of changes made to the document by all users, complete with name and date information.

9. Go through the list line by line, or accept all changes at once. As the user scrolls through the list, Open Office will run through the document so that the edit is visible at that time.

10. Once all edits are done, save the document to keep all edits.