Revision notes for MS Word (similar to PLC programming software) ?

[JesperMP]

Hi all.

I am in the mind-degrading task of writing manuals, and trying to keep track of things.
I miss having a revision note system for MS Word. I want to be prompted for a description when I save an existing document with a new name. This so that I can keep track of what updates have been done.

I am not talking about the dreaded MS Word Revision Tracking system, where all modifications can be followed and undone.

I want something similar to what there is in many programming software packages. A simple note system so you can describe in a few words what have been done.

Am I missing something ? Does MS Word not have something like this already ?

 

[The Plc Kid]

Jesper what version of word 2003,XP,2007 or 2010?

In 2010 under the review tab you have comments and tou can also chose how the comments are displayed in the document on the side.

In some older version you could use view/ Markup.

 

[JesperMP]

Its Word 2007.
Yes there are comments, but if I add comments on the 1st page for example, then there will be an irritating empty comments pane in the right side on all other pages too.
edit: I can see that comments can be hidden. Maybe that is the best way.

I am beginning to think that the only way is to make the revision notes a part of the actual document. But I dont like that all additions and corrections are listed in the manual for the end-customer.
Can there be hidden pages ?
Or something like that ?

 

[JesperMP]

It is a bit crude to say the least, but it will have to do.
Thanks for the tips.

Would definitely like to have that saving to a new name (new version no in the document name) triggers that the revision notes are updated, and these notes to be kept formatted in a neat list that is for developers only.

 

[hanziou]

Jesper,
Are you aware of the File|Properties? It has fields for author, subject, keywords, Comments, as well as file info.

If you just need few line to describe changes, this may be what you're looking for.

In the tools|Options tab there is a selection on the SAVE tab to prompt properties on save, but for me that only seems to prompt on the first time a new document is saved.

 

[JesperMP]

No I need lots of lines.
It is manuals that will be maintained for many many years. So there will be lots of revision notes.

 

[TurpoUrpo]

Why you don't just keep first pages as revision pages and exclude those from client available document?

 

[JesperMP]

If these pages can be hidden from the real document, and also not included in the index, then yes. Otherwise no.
Btw. we generate a PDF with index generated by the index in the Word document.

 

[TurpoUrpo]

Index can be started after those pages. Why they need to be hidden from "real" document? Why not just exclude them when pdf is generated?

 

[JesperMP]

Because there will be all kind of comments from the inception till the version the customer has gotten. There is no need to "bother" them with all that.
And when sonmething is in the official document, you have to use "official" language.
And you have to translate to 7 languages.
And
And
And
etc
..
And I want it this way.

 

[Hydro Power Guy]

You can setup word so that the comments are displayed in the text. This can be accessed by going to tools/options/track changes tab.

Use balloons (Print and Web Layout) Specifies when to display comments and tracked changes in balloons located in the margins of your document. Selecting Never places comments and tracked changes in the text of your document. Select Never to use tracked changes in documents created with Word 2000 and earlier.


When printing to a .pdf, the print document allows you to print just the document without any tracked changes or comments. All you need to do is select "document" vs."document showing markups" option. Note that my reference is word 2003. I believe that newer versions have a similar feature.

 

[JesperMP]

Yes, I can use the comment system. And I can stick all the comments on page 1, so I have the revision notes in one place.
Not exactly super neat, but will have to do.
Just thought that there might be something more like revision notes for programming softwares.

 

[TurpoUrpo]

Because there will be all kind of comments from the inception till the version the customer has gotten. There is no need to "bother" them with all that.
And when sonmething is in the official document, you have to use "official" language.

I said many times, just exclude them when you generate document for client. How do you do that now (document for client) is there problem with just not including some pages?

And you have to translate to 7 languages.
And
And
And
etc
..
And I want it this way.

So only thing that would suffice for you is that when you save, dialog opens where you add revision note and can look old notes? what about other ways to see old revision notes? How would you access them if needed without saving?

What about other users do they have need to see revision notes and how they would access them? Would they be stored in separate file?

 

[JesperMP]

I could exclude them from the PDF file. But that is a manual operation, and I was hoping there was a neat system that worked fully automatically. Writing the notes manually also mean you must have self-discipline to remember to do it even if you are tired and want to shut down when going home. I know from experience that separate documents is a very bad idea.

edit:

what about other ways to see old revision notes? How would you access them if needed without saving?
What about other users do they have need to see revision notes and how they would access them? Would they be stored in separate file

Just like revision notes for programming softwares. Can be viewed and printed if needed. That is what I would like to have.

 

[Steve Etter]

Have you considered formatting your revision notes as hidden text? I have not used it this way, but from a really quick test, it would appear you can make it visible when editing and then invisible - not printed - when converting to PDF.

Steve