How to monitor changes in Word and Excel

Individuals may need to examine and update a document that was created in Microsoft Word or a spreadsheet that was created in Microsoft Excel.
You can’t tell who changed a document or spreadsheet when since by default, changes are not recorded.

Changes may be recorded in Microsoft Word and Excel, enabling you to see what has changed and decide whether or not to accept it.
By following the steps below and according to the specified procedures, you may enable tracking and view specifics of the modifications that have been performed.

Monitor changes in a Word document

This method can be used to track changes in Microsoft Word.

1. Open the document for which you wish to track changes in Microsoft Word.
2. On the ribbon, select the View tab.
3. Click the Track Changes option and then choose Track Changes in the Tracking section.

Monitor changes in an Excel spreadsheet

As appropriate for your version, follow the instructions below to track changes in Microsoft Excel.

Microsoft Excel 2019

Track Changes options need to be added to the Review tab on the Ribbon in Excel 2019.

1. Go to the spreadsheet you wish to monitor changes in.
2. On the ribbon, select the Review tab.
3. Right-click and choose Customize the Ribbon in the vacant space on the ribbon to the right of the Ink section.
4. Select All Commands from the drop-down menu under Choose commands from in the Excel Options box that appears.
5. Click the Review entry in the box beneath Customize the Ribbon.
6. Under the Customize the Ribbon box, click the New Group option.
7. In the Overview box, right-click the newly created group and choose Rename.
   Give the new group a name.
8. To highlight the newly added group, click on it.
9. Select Highlight Changes and Accept/Reject Changes one at a time in the box labeled Choose commands from, then click the Add button after selecting each option.
10. The new group on the right should now contain the Highlight Changes and Accept/Reject Changes elements.
    To save the creation of the new group and its entries, click Ok.

You may now activate change tracking by following the instructions below because options for change tracking have been added to the Overview page.

1. Click the View tab on the ribbon while the spreadsheet is still open.
2. In the newly added Tracking Changes section above, choose Highlight Changes.
3. Check the box next to Track changes while editing in the Highlight Changes window that appears.
4. Choose from Since I last saved, All, Not yet reviewed, or Since date.
5. You can select between Everyone and Everyone but me by checking the Who input box.
6. To enable change tracking, click Ok.

Microsoft Excel 2016 and older versions

1. Go to the spreadsheet you wish to monitor changes in.
2. On the ribbon, select the Review tab.
3. Select Highlight Changes under Track Changes from the menu.
4. Check the box next to Track changes while editing in the Highlight Changes window that appears.
5. Choose from Since I last saved, All, Not yet reviewed, or Since date.
6. You can select between Everyone and Everyone but me by checking the Who input box.
7. To enable change tracking, click Ok.

View changes in a Microsoft Word document

The procedures listed below can be used to view the changes in a document that has change tracking enabled.

1. On the ribbon, select the Review tab.
2. To view changes, pick All Markup from the drop-down menu to the right of Track Changes by clicking on it.
   Additionally, each modification is italicized in red font.
   To find out what was changed, who made it, and when it was made, hover your cursor over the modification.

View changes in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet

It is tracked when someone makes changes to a document.
A little triangle in the cell’s top left corner serves as a reminder of the change.

Hover your cursor over the cell with the little triangle in the upper left corner to see details about the modification.
There is a remark box with information about what, who, and when.