Suppose you need to work on a document that requires a specific number of words — for example, text for a newspaper advertisement. And, suppose you need to collaborate on that text with someone else. Microsoft Word includes a number of features that make this task easy.

After you've created the first draft, you can quickly send the document to one or more reviewers. As you and your colleagues revise and update the text, you can easily keep track of the changes, and you can use the Word Count feature to make sure that you're keeping the number of words within the required limit.

Create the first draft

1. On the Standard toolbar, click New Blank Document.
2. Type the first draft of your document.
3. To check the initial word count, click Word Count on the Tools menu.
4. On the File menu, click Save, and then specify a name and location for your document.

Send the document out for review

1. On the File menu, point to Send To, and then click Mail Recipient (for Review).
2. In the To box , type the names of the reviewers, and then click Send.

Word automatically creates an e-mail message with your document attached (or Word includes a link to the file if the document is stored in a shared location, such as a network server).

When the reviewers receive the document, the Reviewing toolbar is displayed and the Track Changes feature is turned on. Reviewers can return the document to you by clicking the Reply with Changes button on the Reviewing toolbar.

Merging the suggested changes into a single document

When you receive the reviewed document in e-mail, you'll automatically be prompted to merge the changes into the original document. Click Yes to proceed with this request.

As you receive additional reviewed copies of the document, Word will keep track of the changes and will color code them by reviewer.

Color coded changes are noted inline or in balloons in the margin of your document.

If you can't see the tracked changes, switch to print layout view.

Counting the number of words as you revise the text

To quickly display the number words in your document, use the Word Count toolbar. To do this, point to Toolbars on the View menu, and click Word Count. Then click Recount.

Review the changes and finalize your text

1. If it's not already visible, display the Reviewing toolbar by pointing to Toolbars on the View menu and clicking Reviewing.
2. To review the changes and preview the text, switch the display mode by using the Display for Review box.

   

   The Tracked Changes modes are outlined in the following table.

   Use this mode	If you want to display
   Final Showing Markup	Markup that shows the deleted text in balloons and the inserted text marked inline. 1
   Final	The document as it would appear if you accepted all the changes.
   Original Showing Markup	Markup that shows the inserted text in balloons and the deleted text marked inline. 1
   Original	The document as it would appear if you rejected all the changes.

   ¹ In Word 2003, this mode displays insertions and deletions as indicated only when the Use Balloons (Print and Web Layout) option is set to Always. Otherwise, this mode displays both insertions and deletions inline.

3. With markup visible, use the Next and Previous buttons to locate each suggested change.
   • To accept a change, click Accept Change.
   • To reject a change, click Reject Change/Delete Comment.
4. As you switch modes and accept changes, click Recount on the Word Count toolbar to see how many words the document contains.