Track changes on different machines

Question

I use different computers (home and work) to revise documents. How can I get track changes to show my changes as from the same author? Just using the same user name on both machines is not enough. When I try to modify/delete changes I made on the first machine Word uses a second color and tracks changes to changes. I need to pickup on the second machine where I left off on the first machine.

Answer 1

I don't think color is the issue here, though; it's the problem of not being recognized as the same "reviewer."  There may be no solution to that.

Answer 2

The way to be recognized as the same "reviewer" is to make sure your user name (at File > Options > General) is exactly the same on both computers. If there's as much as one different character, the changes will be shown as coming from two different reviewers. I've tested this (and just did it again to be sure), and it does work. Beware of spaces vs. nonbreaking spaces or other invisible characters.

To simplify getting to the Options dialog, click the bottom half of the Track Changes button and choose Change User Name from the dropdown menu.

Answer 3

Barnhill is correct - color is not really the problem. Freedman's suggest is only a partial solution. It will conform the reviewer name, but if additions have been made and tracked on machine #1 and you delete those changes on machine #2 they are marked as a deletion rather than simply deleting without marking the deletion (i.e. this tracks a change of mind). My goal is to have changes on machine #2 be consistent with those from machine #1, as if made on machine #1. MS Word should give the ability to trackk changes by reviewer whithout regard to what machine the reviewer is using. I suppose the MS answer is go to the cloud.

Answer 4

There is no way to force the same color being used with Track Changes on two different computers. You'd have to pick a specific color for the tracking (on both of the machines).