The Compare and Combine features in Word 2007 allow users to compare and merge multiple versions of documents. Compare identifies the differences between two documents and displays the changes in a new document, while Combine merges changes from multiple documents into a single file while retaining author information. Both features provide flexibility in specifying the types of changes to compare or merge, such as formatting and white space. Compare is used to view differences between documents, while Combine merges changes from separate documents into one file.

1. Compare and merge documents
Compare and combine documents in Word 2007
Compare and Combine provides enhanced options for specifying the types of
changes you want to compare or merge, such as formatting and white space, along
with displaying changes at the word or character level. This option can be useful if
you want to expedite a reviewing process by sending separate copies of an original
document to reviewers. Then, when reviewers return the documents, you can
combine the changes into one document. At other times, you might want to
compare two versions of a document and simply look at the differences between
the two documents or take advantage of the new revision features for tables.
Note Assume that you have a document that contains tracked changes. If you
want to see changes made to tables using the new Table revision functionality but
no longer have the original document, create a copy of the document and reject all
changes. This produces an original copy of the document that you can use with
either the Compare or Combine features.
Although Compare and Combine appear to provide the same functionality, there is
a distinct difference between them: Compare is used when comparing the
differences between two documents, and Combine is used when comparing two or
more documents as well as identifying who changed what in the document.
Compare and Combine were available in previous versions of Word under a single
command, Compare and Merge Documents. Legal Blackline (Compare) was an
option in the Merge Changes dialog box. In Word 2007, the Compare and
Combine commands are distinct and contain more flexibility. You can specify the
types of changes you want to compare, such as formatting and white space, along
with displaying changes at the word or character level. The Combine and Compare
features can be found on the Reviewing tab in the Compare group.
Note A character-level change occurs when a change is made to a few characters
of a word, such as when only the case of the first letter is changed. At the word
level, the entire word is shown as a revision; at the character level, only the letter
is shown as a revision.
The following section describes comparing and combining documents after
changes have been made to a document.
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2. Comparing two versions of a document (legal
blackline)
Ideally, when you use Compare, the original and the revised document don't
contain tracked changes. If either document contains tracked changes, Word treats
the documents as though the changes have been accepted and doesn't display them
in the comparison document. Additionally, all revisions in the comparison
document are attributed to a single author, and you can see what changes have
been made to the original document regardless of whether track changes were
turned on when modifications were being made. The changes made in the revised
document are shown in the original as tracked changes. To compare two versions
of one document and view the differences, follow these steps:
On the Review tab, click Compare, and then from the list, click Compare.
The Compare Documents dialog box opens.
In the Original document area, click the Folder icon to navigate to and select
the original document, or select the document from the drop-down list.
In the Revised document area, click the Folder icon to navigate to and select
the revised document, or select the document from the drop-down list.
Click More to show the Compare Documents options. Verify that New
document is selected in the Show changes in area (you can also choose to
show changes in the original or revised document), as shown in Figure 1.
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3. Figure 1 The Compare Documents dialog box enables you to choose two
documents to compare—an original and a revised version.
5. Click OK. The original and revised documents remain unaltered and a new
Compared Document is created and shown automatically.
Note If either (or both) of the documents being compared has tracked changes,
you'll see a message box stating that Word will compare the documents as if the
tracked changes have been accepted. Click Yes to continue the comparing
procedure.
6. To view all three versions of the document at once, click Show Source
Documents on the Review tab, and then click Show Both. In this view, the
original, revised, and compared documents are displayed in the new Tri-
Pane Review Panel, as shown in Figure 2.
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4. Figure 2 The new Tri-Pane Review Panel displays the original, revised, and
comparison results on the screen at the same time.
The new Compared Document displays the changed text in an unnamed document
file. You need to save and name the file if you want to store it for future use.
Combining revisions from multiple authors
In contrast, you use Combine to combine, or merge, two or more documents. All
modifications made to the original or revised documents become tracked changes.
Unlike the Compare feature, if the revised document contains tracked changes,
these changes appear as tracked changes in the combined document. All authors
are identified and their revisions are combined into one document. To use the
Combine function, use the following steps:
1. On the Review tab, click Compare, and then click Combine. The
Combine Documents dialog box opens, which looks similar to the
Compare Documents dialog box shown in Figure 1.
2. In the Original document area, click the Folder icon to navigate to and
select the original document, or select the document from the drop-down
list.
3. In the Revised document area, click the Folder icon to navigate to and
select the revised document (or select the document from the drop-down
list) and then click OK. Figure 3 depicts a sample combination in which
Original Contract.docx is combined with Modified Contract.docx, which
results in the Combined Document.
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5. Figure 3 The Original Contract.docx is combined with Modified Contract.docx,
which creates a third document, Combined Document, containing the merged
changes.
Tip If you do not see the Tri-Pane Review panel, on the Review tab, click Show
Source Documents and then click Show Both.
To combine additional documents, combine the resulting Combined Document
with another document containing changes.
Note At times, you might want to compare two documents side-by-side without
merging them. In those cases, you should adjust your view without using the
Compare or Combine features.
Confidential revisions
The Compare function can also be used as a tool to keep reviewer names, dates,
and times of revisions confidential. If you no longer have an original copy of a
document containing tracked changes, simply create a copy of the document,
reject all changes, and use it as the original. Display the Compare dialog box and
select the original and the revised documents. In the Revised area in the Label
Changes With text box, type another name, such as Reviewer. This method does
not allow you to change the dates and times of revisions, but all revision dates and
times reflect the system date and time that the Compare function was used. Note
that this doesn't apply to Comments that may be contained in the documents.
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6. Figure 3 The Original Contract.docx is combined with Modified Contract.docx,
which creates a third document, Combined Document, containing the merged
changes.
Tip If you do not see the Tri-Pane Review panel, on the Review tab, click Show
Source Documents and then click Show Both.
To combine additional documents, combine the resulting Combined Document
with another document containing changes.
Note At times, you might want to compare two documents side-by-side without
merging them. In those cases, you should adjust your view without using the
Compare or Combine features.
Confidential revisions
The Compare function can also be used as a tool to keep reviewer names, dates,
and times of revisions confidential. If you no longer have an original copy of a
document containing tracked changes, simply create a copy of the document,
reject all changes, and use it as the original. Display the Compare dialog box and
select the original and the revised documents. In the Revised area in the Label
Changes With text box, type another name, such as Reviewer. This method does
not allow you to change the dates and times of revisions, but all revision dates and
times reflect the system date and time that the Compare function was used. Note
that this doesn't apply to Comments that may be contained in the documents.
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