Comments showing as track change

[AndyCooper]

Hi there, I hope someone can help with this. I apologise if this is something that has been discussed before, I have attempted to google the problem and not found any results so far to exactly match the issue I have.

We use track changes on word, for when management suggest changes to reports that we produce. In the past, when I have clicked through the track changes, any comments would also appear as a track change. This is still the case for several of my colleagues (using version 2104).

Unfortunately, this is not the case for me anymore, and has caused me to miss comments left by management, with reports going to clients with comments intended for me.

I can see that next to track changes there is also a section for scrolling through comments, which I guess I will need to use in future, but if I could get this working back to how it used to be this would be far more user friendly from my perspective.

My colleagues that can still see comments under track changes have an option under “show markup” for comments – right at the top of the list. This is not showing on my word – it is not greyed out, the option is just not there at all.

Due to this problem I tried to update word to see if this would help – I am currently on version 2105 now, I do not know what version I was on before but can only assume it was 2104.

A couple of other colleagues, showing as version 2104, also have the comments option missing from their drop-down menu for show markup, so I am not sure if it is the version of word that is the problem here.

I have been reading about “Modern Comments”… is this a “feature” under this perhaps? If so, can I revert back to the old comments?

I hope someone can help!

Many thanks

Andy

[#2]

Hello @AndyCooper ,

I know what you mean :(, it is a pain.

However, I haven't seen comments as track-changes for a long, long while.

You say that you have certain options greyed out. Can you please post the screen-shot of that?

Currently, the default shows comments in balloons - see my print-screen. What setting do you have there?

Lenka

[#3]

Hi Lenka,

Thank you very much for your reply!
Unfortunately, I actually said that I do not have any options greyed out - they are just not there at all.
As I said, some of my colleagues can still see comments as track changes, so I know it is possible. I just seem to have an updated version of comments/track changes.
I think I am just going to have to live with it.
If anyone from Microsoft is reading this, please consider changing this back to how it was.
Thanks
Andy

[#4]

Hello @AndyCooper ,

I misread the greyed out note, sorry about that. 

It is strange for a feature to be missing. 

It is also difficult to help without seeing.

If it were my computer, I'd call Microsoft helpline, they are bound to find you support if your installation is legal.

I assume this is your employer's computer, so please contact your IT to sort this out for you. If you don't have an IT, call Microsoft helpline yourself. Let them fix it. 

Don't wait. Lenka

[#5]

@AndyCooper 

Is this Word for Windows? You can display all comments in the new Comments pane. See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/using-modern-comments-in-word-edc6ae71-0a2d-49fe-8faa-986....

Also, all comments should display in the print preview (and print) at File > Print.

There is no simple option to revert to the older interface, unfortunately (you can revert to an older release but that will just be a temporary fix). 

Make sure that you post feedback on the new comments design; for information, see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-office-2b102d44-b43f-4....

[#6]

Hi Stefan,

Thanks very much for getting back to me on this one. Yes, this is Word for Windows. I know you can now see comments in the new comments pane, I was just hoping I could still see them as part of track changes like they used to show. It just feels like they have added extra steps to a process that worked perfectly well before.

Unfortunately we don't print out our documents before they go to the client for first review, otherwise that would be a useful way of ensuring any comments aren't missed.

I have most definitely given Microsoft feedback on the new comments design!

I think I am just going to have to get used to putting extra steps in my process of checking a document, unless Microsoft change anything.

Thanks for the advice!

Andy