How to Track Changes in Google Docs (Suggestion Mode Guide)

Whether you’re a student collaborating on a group report, a manager refining a proposal, or a writer working with an editor, it’s essential to track changes in real time. In Google Docs, this is seamlessly done via Suggestion Mode, which provides a powerful suite of tools to monitor edits, collaborate transparently, and refine documents without losing original content. Let’s explore how to use this feature effectively to manage collaborative editing while maintaining professionalism and clarity in your document workflow.

TL;DR: How to Track Changes in Google Docs

Google Docs uses Suggestion Mode to track changes instead of a dedicated “track changes” feature like in Microsoft Word. By switching to Suggesting mode, collaborators can make edits that appear as suggestions rather than permanent changes. You can accept or reject these changes, and add comments to discuss them. This feature makes online collaboration clear, traceable, and easy to manage without affecting the original document until approvals are finalized.

What is Suggestion Mode in Google Docs?

Suggestion Mode is a built-in feature that allows collaborators to make proposed changes that don’t alter the actual content until accepted. When active, any addition, deletion, or formatting change appears as a tracked suggestion, complete with distinct colors and user attribution. This promotes transparency and enables teams to evaluate and approve each suggestion before integrating them into the document.

With Suggestion Mode active, Google Docs functions similarly to Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature but with a cleaner interface and real-time updates across devices and users.

Why Suggestion Mode is Useful

Using Suggestion Mode offers numerous advantages for individuals and teams who edit documents collaboratively:

• Controlled Edits: Changes are non-destructive and reversible until accepted.
• User Attribution: Every suggestion is marked with the name of the person who made it.
• Comment Integration: Users can add comments to discuss suggestions.
• Version Control: Paired with version history, it’s easy to track how a document evolves over time.
• Cloud Synchronization: Instant visibility across collaborators, regardless of location or device.

How to Enable Suggestion Mode

Activating Suggestion Mode in Google Docs is straightforward. Below are the steps to enable it:

1. Open the Document: Go to Google Docs and open the document you wish to edit.
2. Locate the Editing Toolbar: In the top-right corner of the menu bar, you’ll find a pencil icon with the word “Editing” next to it.
3. Switch to Suggesting: Click the pencil icon drop-down and select Suggesting from the list. The toolbar will now display “Suggesting.”

When Suggestion Mode is enabled, any text you add will be highlighted, and any deletions will show up struck-through. These visual cues help all readers know what’s being proposed without permanently altering the document content.

Making and Reviewing Suggestions

Once Suggestion Mode is enabled, you or your collaborators can begin making edits confidently. Here’s how to interact with suggestions effectively:

Creating a Suggestion

• Type to add new content—your additions will show in colored underlines.
• Select and delete text—it will appear as strikethrough with a side note.
• Paste or cut content as you normally would; all changes remain as suggestions.

Accepting or Rejecting a Suggestion

Suggested edits appear in the margin with icons to approve or dismiss them. To manage them:

1. Hover over the suggestion or click on the comment box in the right margin.
2. Click the checkmark to accept or the “X” to reject a suggestion.

Adding Comments for Clarification

If you need to explain your suggestion or respond to a collaborator’s edit, you can:

1. Highlight the relevant text.
2. Right-click and select Comment, or click the comment icon on the toolbar.
3. Type your thoughts and click Comment to share.

This function is invaluable for discussing changes without interrupting the document flow or resorting to external communication threads.

Best Practices for Using Suggestion Mode

For efficient collaboration, follow these best practices when using Suggestion Mode:

• Introduce All Editors: Set expectations by informing team members to use Suggestion Mode for revisions.
• Keep Edits Clear: Limit each suggestion to a single idea or change so they are easy to evaluate independently.
• Use Comments Strategically: Add comments when a suggestion needs clarification or could be misunderstood.
• Review Regularly: Don’t let suggestions pile up. Regularly review and resolve them to avoid confusion.
• Enable Notifications: Stay updated with email alerts by selecting “Notification Settings” under the Comments button.

Managing Permissions and Access

You can control who can make suggestions by managing document sharing settings. Google Docs allows you to assign different roles:

• Viewer: Can view the document but cannot make changes or comments.
• Commenter: Can add comments and suggestions but cannot edit the original content directly.
• Editor: Can make permanent changes unless in Suggestion Mode.

To change someone’s role:

1. Click Share in the top-right corner.
2. Add a collaborator’s email or click on the gear icon to adjust existing permissions.
3. From the dropdown next to their name, choose Viewer, Commenter, or Editor.

It’s advisable to assign Commenter role to collaborators when you want them to only suggest changes, thus ensuring controlled editing throughout the process.

Using Version History Alongside Suggestions

For comprehensive audit trails and rollback capabilities, Google Docs also offers a detailed version history. This tool lets you:

• See who made changes and when.
• Restore previous versions if necessary.
• Track overall evolution when Suggestion Mode alone doesn’t provide enough context.

To access version history:

1. Go to File > Version history > See version history.
2. Click each listed version to view the changes made during that session.
3. Click Restore this version to revert.

Combining Version History with Suggestion Mode ensures that no contribution is lost, and every change is documented:

• Suggestion Mode shows what was proposed.
• Version History shows when and by whom the changes occurred.

Final Thoughts

Tracking changes with Google Docs’ Suggestion Mode is an indispensable tool for modern document collaboration. It brings transparency, organization, and control to the editing process while maintaining the integrity of the original text. By using Suggestion Mode wisely and combining it with powerful tools like commenting, permission management, and version history, teams can collaborate efficiently and professionally no matter where they are.

As digital collaboration becomes standard practice, mastering functionalities like Suggestion Mode can significantly enhance productivity, streamline approval workflows, and uphold the quality of shared content in any industry or academic environment.