one editor for Word documents?

[that guy]

There are a group of people that work at my office that write Microsoft Word documents as a group, but they want to set it up so that while anyone can make changes to the document, there is only one editor that can accept those changes. Is this possible? They are using Microsoft Word 2007.



If this isn't possible in Word 2007, is it possible in Word 2010? If not, is there any word processing software out there that allows a group to make changes to a document, but only has a single editor that purviews those changes, and decides what makes it into the final draft?

Thank you for any help you can provide!

[Ulodesk]

Greetings, that guy.

I haven't worked wiht Word 2010's new multi-authoring ability; someone else will have to speak to that. It allows multiple authors to work on a network-shared document simultaneously.

In 2007, the process with which I'm familiar involves the owner (editor) sending each person a copy of the document. Each person can either write a section, for example, or, with Track Changes on (Review/Track changes), make alterations and comments, and then return the document to the editor. The editor then uses Word's Compare and Combine (also in the Review tab of the ribbon) to combine the documents into a new one which will include all the entries and/or changes and comments.

Note that Review also includes a Protect Document section with Restrict Formatting and Editing. In this, the editor may choose to allow only track changes editing and comments, for instance, and then password-protect the document to prevent authors from changing other author's work.

More info in Help or web search.

Cordially,
Ulodesk

[that guy]

If someone could elaborate on the network-shared editing that would really help me out! Is it possible to have only one editor in this situation, or will everyone be able to apply changes to the document?

[that guy]

I think I found an answer for them with the "CodoxWord" plugin for Microsoft Word:

http://www.codoxware.com/users/features

It claims to be able to assign a user the Editor role, which will give them update permissions over the document, so hopefully this will solve their problems.