Enhanced 'comments' in Microsoft Word ?

September 1, 2010 6:11 PM

I want to add to the 'comment' functionality in Microsoft Word - what are my options ?

When a comment is added in word only the name of the originator and the text of the comment is saved.

I'm looking for an 'add in' which would enhance that functionality so that when a comment is added the user is able to specify a 'type' of comment which is then preserved with that comment.

For instance the comment might be of one of the following types: "Legal Concern"; "Stylistic Issue"; "Privacy"; "HR Issue" etc.

I'm quite flexible about how this could be achieved so if mefites have seen anything like this (even if it's not via an addin) it would be good to hear.

posted by southof40 to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

MS Word has the comments thing built into it. I believe it's called "Reviewing" and "Markup"? As long as everyone uses the same file, and their own version of Word, you'll see the username and the comment.
posted by Lukenlogs at 8:28 PM on September 1, 2010

I haven't seen anything like that (which doesn't imply it doesn't exist) but Word is quite extensible by using its built-in "Basic" programming language, so if you can't find an appropriate plug-in you could probably (rent a coder to) write what you need.
posted by anadem at 8:33 PM on September 1, 2010

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/CH010024383.aspx
posted by Lukenlogs at 9:51 PM on September 1, 2010

Response by poster: @Lukenlogs - Thanks I am already using comments. What I was after was a means to enhance the type of comment that you can use.

@anadem - thanks will bear in mind. I was rather hoping that there would an off the shelf addin to enhance the comments

Any other ideas welcomed ....
posted by southof40 at 10:09 PM on September 1, 2010

One of the easiest ways to do this might be to record a couple of macros. No programming experience necessary. You just choose to make either a keybinding or a ribbon-button, perform a series of commands, then stop recording the macro. So, you could do something like this:

1) Click "Record Macro" and choose Alt-L to be your key-combo for a "Legal" comment.
2) Click "Add comment" (your cursor should now be in the comment)
3) Click "Track Changes Options" and change the comment color to, say, pink.
4) Select "BOLD" and type "Legal Concern: " in the comment.
5) Unselect "BOLD" and change the comment color back to the default, or "by author" setting.
6) Stop recording the macro.

Now you have a color-coded "Legal Concern" comment type that you can just ALT-L for.
posted by Maxwell_Smart at 7:35 AM on September 2, 2010

Response by poster: @Maxwell_Smart - excellent ! Just what I was after. Thanks very much.
posted by southof40 at 3:51 PM on September 2, 2010