[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”-100px|||” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”]
One of my favourite things about the Google Apps suite is that it remembers every change that you have ever done to a file. That’s one of the beauties of not having to manually save the file. You can go back to earlier version of a file, not just what you’ve made but that anyone has made, plus you can see who made a particular version.
To do this in Google Docs, first go to the version link at the top of the screen, next to the menus. Here it will tell you when the last version was made and who made it, if it wasn’t you.
Clicking on the link, opens up the version history window. Alternatively, you can access it by going to File>Version History>See version history.
On the right is the list of dates and times when significant revisions were made. Click on a date/time to see that version in the main window.
The changes will be highlighted in colour. Each person’s changes will be shown in a different colour. In the list on the right, you will see the people who have edited the file and their corresponding colour.
By default, the changes made in that version are shown. You can remove them by unchecking the “Show changes” option at the bottom of the list.
It will also tell you how many edits were made in that particular version.
You have the option of printing that particular version. Just click on the printer icon at the top of the screen.
If you want to restore that version, click the blue “Restore this version” button at the top of the screen.
To go back to the main document, click on the arrow.
How to name versions
Rather than just have date and times describing your versions, it’s now possible to name your versions, which is a really useful. To do so, click on the 3-dot menu next to the version you want and click “Name this version”.
Then type in a name and press Enter.
You can rename the version, just click on the 3-dot menu again and click “Rename”. You can also remove a name.
How to show only named versions
As Docs saves every change, you will end up with possibly hundreds of edits, so one use of Named versions is to name key versions, so you can display just them. To show only the name versions, click on the toggle switch at the top of the list. This will then show only the ones with names.
Note, that if you make a copy of a document, you will lose the revision history in that new document.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”PostEnd” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_module=”22296″ saved_tabs=”all”]
eBooks available on Drive, Forms, Sheets, Docs, Slides, and Sheet Functions:
- “Beginner’s Guide to Google Drive” – iBooks store / Kindle store
- “Beginner’s Guide to Google Forms” – iBooks store / Kindle store
- “Beginner’s Guide to Google Sheets” – iBooks store / Kindle store
- “Beginner’s Guide to Google Docs” – iBooks Store / Kindle store
- “Beginner’s Guide to Google Slides” – iBooks Store / Kindle store
- “Google Sheet Functions – A step-by-step guide” – iBooks Store / Kindle Store
Baz Roberts (Google+ / Flipboard / Twitter)
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]