When multiple people have edited or suggested changes to a document, things can get complicated. There’ll probably be suggestions everywhere in the comments sidebar and the text could be almost unrecognizable. Viewing the original document and the new version side by side will help you to get a handle on the changes. Here are two great tools that let you compare edits to a Word document.
Use DiffChecker
DiffChecker is a free online tool that makes it easy way to compare documents and revised versions quickly. You copy and paste the two versions into two adjacent columns and it will analyze the differences for you. Go to www.diffchecker.com to try it out.
It works by assigning each line a number and then comparing them. When you’ve cut-and-pasted your text you just need to click the green ‘Find Difference!’ button at the bottom. In a matter of moments you’ll be able to see exactly how the two documents are different.
You’ll see the results in green and red highlighting. If it’s green it tells you that words have been added. Red highlighting indicates that words that have been removed. It’s a whole lot faster than reading two documents yourself and flagging up where they diverge.
Try the “See Revision History” Feature in Your Word Processor
Word processors can do much more than just flagging up typos, spelling errors or issues with incorrect grammar. With new cloud-based word processing applications, like Google Docs and Microsoft Word, it’s easy to compare documents and see how they’ve been altered.
In Google Docs it couldn’t be any easier. Select File > See revision history to bring up your current document. In the sidebar on the right hand side you’ll see all the revisions made to the document listed. If you’re looking for a particular revision, then you can select the date and time the document was changed. The changes made to the document will be color-coded with each users’ edits in a unique color. Google Docs also offers more advanced revision and comparison tools that offer even more detailed analysis, should you need them to use them.
It’s important to note that the window you’re viewing the edited documents in is not the window containing your current document. Clicking on ‘Restore this revision’ will allow you to undo changes and revert to the original text.
To compare documents in Microsoft Word, go to File > Info > Versions to see your revisions. It will display different snapshots from your revision history when you click on the version that you need to view.
Tech developments make comparing edits much easier, and you can maximize their usefulness by combining online tools like DiffChecker and your word processor’s history tool. Business professionals can take advantage of the latest technology solutions to maximize efficiency.
Do you know any great ways to get the most out of your editing software? Let us know in the comments, and subscribe to our blog for more tips.