Microsoft Word provides built-in document comparison tools that help users identify differences between document versions and merge edits from multiple contributors. The Compare and Combine features are especially useful in collaborative editing, legal review, and version control.
Combine Documents
The Combine feature merges changes from two or more documents into a single document, integrating all edits while tracking changes for review. It is useful for consolidating revisions from multiple contributors.
Key Features:
- Generates a comparison report showing changes in a new document.
- Displays differences using Track Changes markup (e.g., red strikethrough for deletions, colored text for insertions).
- Allows customization of what changes to show (e.g., text, formatting, comments).
Example: Compare an original contract with an edited version to identify changes made by a colleague.
How to Use Compare and Combine Documents
Step 1: Compare Two Documents
Access the Compare Tool:
- Go to the Review tab on the ribbon.
- In the Compare group, click Compare > Compare Two Versions of a Document (Legal Blackline).
Select Documents:
- In the Compare Documents dialog box:
- Original document: Browse to select the original document (e.g., “Report_v1.docx”).
- Revised document: Browse to select the edited document (e.g., “Report_v2.docx”).
- Under Label changes with, enter a name or initials to attribute changes (optional).
- Click More to customize comparison settings (e.g., include formatting, case changes, or tables).
- Choose where to display results (e.g., New document, Original document, or Revised document).
- Click OK.
Review Results:
- A new document (or selected document) opens with changes marked in Track Changes format.
- Use the Review tab to navigate (Next, Previous) and Accept or Reject changes.
Step 2: Combine Multiple Documents
Access the Combine Tool:
- Go to Review > Compare > Combine (Merge Two Versions of a Document).
Select Documents:
- In the Combine Documents dialog box:
- Original document: Select the base document.
- Revised document: Select the document with additional edits.
- Enter a name for Label changes with to track each contributor’s edits.
- Click More to customize settings (e.g., include comments, formatting).
- Choose where to display results (e.g., New document).
- Click OK.
Merge Additional Documents:
- Save the combined document, then repeat the Combine process to merge additional documents.
Review Results:
- The combined document shows all changes in Track Changes format, with different colors for each contributor.
- Use Review > Accept or Reject to finalize the merged document.
Step 3: Customize Display and Review Options
Adjust Markup View:
- Go to Review > Tracking > Show Markup to select what to display (e.g., Insertions and Deletions, Formatting).
- Choose All Markup, Simple Markup, or No Markup to control visibility.
Show Source Documents:
- In the comparison or combined document, go to Review > Compare > Show Source Documents to view the original and revised documents alongside the result.
Step 4: Finalize the Document
Accept or Reject Changes:
- Navigate changes using Review > Next or Previous.
- Click Accept or Reject for individual changes, or use Accept All Changes or Reject All Changes.
Save the Final Version:
- After reviewing, save the document (File > Save As) as a clean copy without markup (Review > Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking).