What does Microsoft distinguish?
Microsoft explains that a document can retain tracked insertions and deletions even when tracking is turned off. Accepting or rejecting changes resolves them; comment deletion is a separate action. A clean-looking view therefore does not establish that the release file contains no outstanding review material.
Returnables Agency is independent and is not affiliated with Microsoft. Use the organisation's approved tools and permissions. This workflow does not authorise a writer to accept another reviewer's technical or commercial change.
Which release decisions should be recorded?
Retain the controlled review version and prepare an identifiable release derivative. Resolve proposed commitments through the responsible owners before changing the document. A blanket accept-all operation is not evidence that every edit was approved.
| Field | Record | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Review baseline | Controlled file and revision | Retain the original review history |
| Proposed edits | Actual change and responsible owner | Obtain a disposition |
| Edit outcome | Approved acceptance or rejection | Check resulting wording |
| Comments | Resolved discussion and release treatment | Handle separately from tracked edits |
| Display check | Actual markup view and outstanding items | Do not rely on No Markup alone |
| Release copy | Reopened saved file and approval | Match the uploaded derivative |
How can a visually clean file hide an unresolved commitment?
Illustrative example. A fictional methodology draft contains a tracked insertion committing to an additional inspection. The reviewer selects a view that hides markup and forwards the file as final, but the technical owner has not approved that commitment.
The release reviewer reopens the actual file, identifies the unresolved edit and routes it to the technical owner. The owner decides whether to accept or reject it. A comment thread about the same issue is then handled separately under the records policy. The example contains no real bid commitments or personnel records.
What should the final check inspect?
Read the resulting response, not only the review indicators. Confirm that numbers, exclusions, references and methodology still match the approved narrative after edits are resolved. Reopen the exact saved derivative and inspect any PDF exported from it as a separate release file.
Preserve approvals and review evidence in the approved restricted location. Removing comments from a release copy does not require discarding the controlled history. This is a document workflow, not legal advice or a guarantee that every hidden-data risk has been removed.
Common questions
What else should the bid team know?
Does turning Track Changes off remove earlier edits?
No. Existing tracked changes still need a reviewed acceptance or rejection.
Does accepting edits remove all comments?
Handle comments separately under the approved release process.
Should all changes be accepted just to clear the file?
No. Resolve technical and commercial decisions with their responsible owners.
Primary sources
- Accept tracked changes in WordMicrosoft Support