Why You Should Track Changes in SharePoint?

Before delving into the methodologies of tracking alterations in SharePoint, it is essential to comprehend why this characteristic is pivotal. Tracking amendments supply teams with benefits which include:

  • Maintainability of version control: With multiple users across the same document, it remains important to ensure transparency of work by knowing what has changed and also who did it.
  • Less confusion: It can be easy for team members to lose themselves amidst mixed-up documents’ editing in other words.& hence everyone stays on the same page by tracking changes making it easier when resolving conflicting situations.
  • Enhancing accountability: When you are aware of who made what changes you can hold team members to account for their edits, thus encouraging them to feel responsible towards their work.

The interesting aspect is that SharePoint comprises various tools for tracking changes simply and easily. Tracking changes in SharePoint is pleasant in case you are using Word documents, Excel sheets, or PowerPoint presentations as these are incorporated features.

Steps to Track Changes in SharePoint

So, you're ready to learn how to track changes in SharePoint? It’s simpler than you think. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started:

Enable Version History

The primary thing to do to track changes is to utilize the version history feature. By default, it is on in SharePoint but ensure it’s activated for your document library to be safe. This will take you to the library settings where you will find the versioning settings option. You can then determine how many versions you want to keep as well as if there should be any minor versions tracked (drafts etc.).

View Document Versions

Whenever a document is edited, a new version gets saved after enabling version history. All these can be viewed by right-clicking on the document and choosing “Version History”. Then, a list displaying all edits made along with the name of the person who made them and their date will appear.

Restore or Compare Versions

In addition to viewing versions, SharePoint allows you to restore a previous version if needed. This is helpful if a mistake was made or you want to go back to an earlier state. You can also compare two versions of a document to see what changes were made.

Set Alerts for Document Changes

If you need to be notified of changes in real time, SharePoint allows you to set alerts. This feature can be found in the "Alert Me" option, where you can customize how and when you’re notified of changes to a document or library.

By following these steps to track changes in SharePoint, you’ll be able to efficiently manage document edits and maintain control over your projects.

Easy Ways to Track Changes in SharePoint

While the steps outlined above are simple enough, there are easy ways to track changes in SharePoint that can make this process even smoother. Here are a few tips:

  • Use Microsoft Office Integration: If you're working on Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, etc.), SharePoint integrates seamlessly. Simply turn on "Track Changes" in these programs, and SharePoint will sync these changes, making it easier to manage edits.
  • Leverage Metadata: SharePoint allows you to set up metadata fields, such as "Last Modified By" or "Date Modified," which can give you an overview of document activity without needing to dive into version history.
  • Automate with Power Automate: If you're looking to take things up a notch, you can use Power Automate (formerly Microsoft Flow) to create workflows that alert you to document changes or automatically archive old versions.

By utilizing these easy ways to track changes in SharePoint, you'll ensure that document management remains streamlined and efficient.

Bonus Tip: How to Manage Updates across Different Platforms

If you're looking to track changes in SharePoint, understanding version history and notifications can be crucial for keeping your projects organized. However, managing updates across multiple cloud platforms can quickly become overwhelming. That's where MultCloud comes in handy.

With MultCloud, you can streamline your file management by connecting SharePoint with other cloud services. This allows you to track changes, sync files, and maintain a clear overview of your documents across different platforms, making it easier to stay on top of updates and collaborate effectively.

  • Cloud Transfer: MultCloud can transfer files from one cloud service to another directly without downloading and re-uploading.
  • Cloud Sync: With MultCloud, you can easily sync two folders between different cloud services in real-time.
  • Cloud Backup: You can backup and restore data between different cloud services automatically.
  • Instagram Downloader: MultCloud can help you download Instagram videos, photos, reels and stories to local device or remotely upload them to your clouds.
  • Email Migration: You can directly back up and save Gmail emails as PDFs to your computer or cloud drive in bulk. 
  • Manage all cloud accounts in one place: Connect all your clouds to MultCloud and you'll find it so easy to access and manage multiple cloud storage files with a single login.
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Conclusion

It’s really important to keep track of the modifications that have been done by different team members on SharePoint because it not only helps manage team projects but also ensures that there is accountability among all members. This article will guide you through these steps so that you can benefit from the great features of SharePoint such as version history and activity tracking. Change tracking in SharePoint is vital for both large teams and those who simply want to follow their edits, thereby keeping them organized, focused, and methodical.

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