Track Changes in PowerPoint Effectively

Learn how to track changes in PowerPoint to make collaboration and cross-talk much easier in your next presentation.

It makes feedback and collaboration easier.

When you’re creating a PowerPoint presentation, it helps to send it out for feedback. This article will guide you through the process of tracking changes in PowerPoint, making it easier to manage input from multiple reviewers.

As feedback starts pouring in, managing differing opinions and perspectives can become overwhelming. That’s where the track changes in PowerPoint feature comes in handy. It allows you to incorporate and combine feedback seamlessly with just a few clicks!

If you’re wondering, “Can you track changes on PowerPoint?” the answer is: absolutely! This feature transforms the feedback process into a manageable task within PowerPoint’s review mode. Let’s dive in and discover how to effectively track changes in your PPT presentations.

Find Top Templates for PowerPoint on Envato Elements

Before we get into the specifics of tracking changes, consider streamlining your presentation creation process by using a template.

If you’ve never explored PowerPoint templates, you might be wasting too many hours working from scratch or using Microsoft’s built-in templates, which can often lead to uninspired designs.

This is where Envato Elements shines. With one simple subscription, you gain access to a wide variety of creative PowerPoint designs that are easy to customize. Quickly add your content and make them your own.

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Envato Elements is a cost-effective solution that offers unlimited downloads. You can access thousands of PowerPoint templates, all licensed for a flat fee, along with extras like stock photos and graphics.

What Is Track Changes In PowerPoint? (And Why Should You Use It?)

PowerPoint presentations are often a collaborative effort. Your team may bring diverse perspectives and ideas that can enhance the overall presentation, making feedback crucial.

However, back-and-forth emailing of the presentation can be inefficient, as it risks missing important feedback or creating conflicting versions.

Fortunately, PowerPoint includes a track changes feature that is essential for collaboration. Using track changes ensures that all feedback is seamlessly incorporated into your presentation.

How to Track Changes in PowerPoint

Tracking changes in PowerPoint takes just a few steps, allowing you to easily compare your original version with your collaborator’s edits. Here’s how to do it:

For this tutorial, I’ll be using the Agio template from Envato Elements as my base.

1. Save a Copy of Your Presentation

First, you’ll want to save a copy of your presentation to send to your collaborator for feedback. Go to the File > Save As menu, choose a location, and give it a new filename.

To easily track changes later, it’s best to save the original version with a clear name, such as appending “Original” to the filename.

2. Send Your Presentation for Review

Once you’ve saved a copy, it’s time to send it out for review. You can either attach it to an email or use a sharing service like Dropbox.

Your reviewer will simply make their changes and send it back to you. The following section will cover how you can easily identify the differences between the two versions.

3. Merge the Presentations

After your reviewer has made edits, it’s time to merge the two versions of the PowerPoint presentation. This process highlights the differences for you to review.

First, save the edited presentation in an easily accessible location. Then, open your original presentation. Go to the Review tab and click Compare.

Now, browse to find the reviewed version of your presentation and click Merge in the file browsing window.

PowerPoint will automatically compare the two presentations and show you the differences.

4. Review Feedback and Changes

With the presentations merged, it’s time to review the feedback from your collaborators. To see the list of changes, ensure the Reviewing Pane is visible by clicking on Reviewing Pane in the Review tab.

You’ll see the changes made by your reviewer in the Revisions panel.

Browse the changes by either clicking the icons on the slide to view specific changes or working through the list in the Slide Changes listing.

5. Accept or Reject Changes

Now that you’ve identified the changes, it’s time to decide whether to accept or reject each one.

As you select a revision, you’ll see yellow checkboxes for each change. To accept a change, click the box to view the proposed edit.

If you don’t like a change, simply uncheck the box. Leaving it unchecked means the edit won’t apply to your slide. When you’ve finished reviewing, click End Review on PowerPoint’s ribbon.

It’s that straightforward! You can easily include feedback by selectively accepting or rejecting changes.

How Should You Use Comments in PowerPoint Review Mode?

Comments are ideal when you want to elaborate on an idea. While track changes provides a technical record of modifications, comments offer explanatory insights.

Use comments for providing suggestions or preferences, while making direct edits for typos and errors. This dual approach enhances the clarity and effectiveness of your collaboration.

Both track changes and comments serve essential roles in collaborative presentations.

Bonus: How to Be a Great Reviewer

If you’re on the other side of the feedback process, ensure your comments are personalized. PowerPoint typically uses your system settings to display your name or initials in reviews, but you can customize it.

Go to File > Options > General, and set your name and initials in the respective fields.

This will make your comments and changes more recognizable, enhancing the collaborative experience.

Master the Art of PowerPoint

PowerPoint is known for being “easy to get started with, difficult to master.” With a wealth of features built into the application, honing your skills can greatly enhance your presentations.

You’ve already learned about the track changes feature through this tutorial. Don’t stop here! Check out our resource, How to Use PowerPoint (Ultimate Tutorial Guide), to access a compilation of top tutorials to help you master the app.

Here are three tutorials from our guide to kickstart your journey in mastering Microsoft PowerPoint:

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  What Is Microsoft PowerPoint? + How to Start Using It For Presentations (Now)

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  What Are the Right Dimensions (Size) for Your PowerPoint PPT Slides? (+ Video)

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  How to Work With Images in PowerPoint (Complete PPT Picture Guide)

5 Top Templates for PowerPoint on Envato Elements

Here are five top PowerPoint templates from Envato Elements that work seamlessly with track changes:

1. Agio

Agio features clean and minimal slide designs, popular in 2022. With 70 unique slide designs, it allows for an uninterrupted presentation of your content.

2. Fashioned Stylist PowerPoint

This modern template is versatile, focused on futuristic design elements that can enhance any presentation.

3. COLINGTON Creative PowerPoint

Colington emphasizes visual slides, making it a great choice for presentations that rely heavily on imagery.

4. Self PowerPoint

Self offers bold and minimal designs, featuring ample white space to enhance readability and flow.

5. Magnolia | PowerPoint Template

Magnolia embodies a “less is more” approach, featuring 37 slides that prioritize simplicity and clarity.

Now that you’ve seen some of the top templates available, you’re ready to effectively track changes in PowerPoint and create an outstanding presentation.

Use Track Changes on PowerPoint Today

If you have someone willing to provide feedback on your presentation, consider inviting them to collaborate. Start using track changes in PowerPoint to incorporate valuable feedback and enhance your presentation.

This tutorial has provided you with the essential steps to track changes in PowerPoint, ensuring effective collaboration and improvement in your presentations.

Editorial Note: This tutorial has been updated by Sarah Joy to make the information relevant and current. Sarah is a freelance instructor for Tuts+.