Track Changes Color Same for 2 Editors, Different for the 3rd Edit

[Rutabaga]

Hi Helpfuls,

I'm using Word 2003 on XP. I (and the others involved) have Track Changes
colors set to display By Author.

We're circulating a doc for editing, with Track Changes turned on. All
users have their own names in the User Information field (in the Options
menu), and work from their own workstations. The changes by the first 2
editors display in different colors. When a 3rd editor makes edits, the
changes display in the same color as one of the other editors, but this only
happens on the 3rd editor's workstation; once the doc is emailed to another
user, that 3rd person's changes do take a different color...but then that 4th
person's Track Changes show up the same color as an earlier editor's.

This didn't happen until recently; normally, when an editor modified a doc,
the color of the changes was distinct--and apparent on that person's
monitor--from the other editors', regardless of how many folks had made
previous edits. There haven't been any recent system changes/upgrades, etc.

If you followed this, do you have any idea what the problem is? Thanks...

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I have followed it, but I'm stumped. You obviously understand the principles
and are doing everything right, so I suspect this is going to be a very
difficult problem to troubleshoot. Does this occur in just a single document
or in all documents that are handed around this way? If it's just a single
document, I wonder if it might be damaged; see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/CorruptDoc.htm

 

[Rutabaga]

Hi Suzanne,

Today adds a ripple to the riddle. Now the document properly reflects a
distinct color for each editor *at my workstation*, but not on my boss's,
which is where the issue was first noticed. Before today, the redundant
color thing appeared at both of our computers--I'm 100% positive of that;
today, it's just on hers. We did check a *different* doc on her computer,
and Track Changes works properly on that doc, so the link you provided
regarding damaged files may be quite relevant. I haven't been able to access
my boss's computer (go figure), but when I can, I'll troubleshoot through the
link you provided.

Many thanks for your customarily keen insight, and I may be back with more
questions.