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Show Merge Changes by Author in Word

A merged document opens in Word with every change in one color. Change one setting and each author’s changes get their own.

Overview

When you merge documents in Version Story, we show the changes from each version/author in a different color in our document viewer:

Merged document in the Version Story viewer with each author’s changes in a different color
Merged document in the Version Story viewer with each author’s changes in a different color

When you download the merged document and open it in Microsoft Word, you may find yourself taken aback to see all the changes in a single color:

The same merged document opened in Microsoft Word showing all changes in a single color
The same merged document opened in Microsoft Word showing all changes in a single color

Word decides the colors from its own settings. Adjust them by following these steps:

(1) Navigate to the Review tab.

(2) Select the expand button in the Markup section:

The expand button in the Markup section of Word’s Review tab
The expand button in the Markup section of Word’s Review tab

(3) Choose Advanced Options... in the popup window that opens:

Choosing Advanced Options in Word’s Track Changes settings popup
Choosing Advanced Options in Word’s Track Changes settings popup

(4) Select the dropdown menu for Color next to Insertions:

The Color dropdown next to Insertions in Word’s Advanced Track Changes Options
The Color dropdown next to Insertions in Word’s Advanced Track Changes Options

(5) Choose the By author option, and do the same for Deletions:

Selecting the By author color option for insertions and deletions
Selecting the By author color option for insertions and deletions

(6) Close the settings window. You will now see the changes from different versions/authors appear in different colors in Word:

The merged document in Word with each author’s changes now shown in different colors
The merged document in Word with each author’s changes now shown in different colors

Merge Documents

Click here if you need a refresher on how to merge documents.