Can't add comments on protected document

Question

Someone has sent me a document to review, and has asked me to make my comments as Word comments. He does not want any revisions, only comments.

Don't know if this is relevant: The document is protected, so I can't make changes, and I can't unprotect it since I don't have the password. However, I only want to  make comments on the document, not changes or edits. On the Insert menu, Comment is not greyed-out. However, it seems to have no effect. I select Insert/Comments, Word does not complain, but it also does not put me in the comment box as usual and the insertion point remains in the same spot. The same thing happens when I choose the New Comment icon on the Reviewing toolbar.

The author of the document has given it to others for comments, and he says that I should be able to add comments with no problem. The only other possibly relevant bit of information is that he's probably prepared the document under Word for Windows, and probably his other reviewers are using Word for Windows.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Answer 1

You are correct the method of protection is different on Mac and PC although The PC is supposed to be able to use a method Mac can understand.

 But you need his user name password to get in regardless.

If he won't give you the password. See if you can create a PDF and then add the comments in Acrobat.

(See:http://www.screencast.com/t/6kUWqPoYuD)