Operation Manual

All these facilities use a registered data source (a spreadsheet or database containing the name
and address records and other information). Chapter 11, Using Mail Merge, in the Writer Guide
describes the process.
Tracking changes to a document
You can use several methods to keep track of changes made to a document.
1) Make your changes to a copy of the document (stored in a different folder, or under a
different name, or both), then use Writer to combine the two files and show the differences.
Choose Edit > Compare Document. This technique is particularly useful if you are the only
person working on the document, as it avoids the increase in file size and complexity
caused by the other methods.
2) Save versions that are stored as part of the original file. However, this method can cause
problems with documents of non-trivial size or complexity, especially if you save a lot of
versions. Avoid this method if you can.
3) Use Writer’s change marks (often called “redlines” or “revision marks”) to show where you
have added or deleted material, or changed formatting. Choose Edit > Changes > Record
before starting to edit. Later, you or another person can review and accept or reject each
change. Choose Edit > Track Changes > Show. Right-click on an individual change and
choose Accept Change or Reject Change from the context menu, or choose Edit > Track
Changes > Manage Changes to view the list of changes and accept or reject them.
Details are in the Writer Guide.
Tip
Not all changes are recorded. For example, changing a tab stop from align left to align
right, and changes in formulas (equations) or linked graphics are not recorded.
Using fields
Fields are extremely useful features of Writer. They are used for data that changes in a document
(such as the current date or the total number of pages) and for inserting document properties such
as name, author, and date of last update. Fields are the basis of cross-referencing (see below);
automatic numbering of figures, tables, headings, and other elements; and a wide range of other
functions—far too many to describe here. See Chapter 14, Working with Fields, in the Writer Guide
for details.
Linking to another part of a document
If you type in cross-references to other parts of a document, those references can easily get out of
date if you reorganize the order of topics, add or remove material, or reword a heading. Writer
provides two ways to ensure that your references are up to date, by inserting links to other parts of
the same document or to a different document: hyperlinks and cross-references.
The two methods have the same result if you Ctrl+click the link when the document is open in
Writer: you are taken directly to the cross-referenced item. However, they also have major
differences:
• The text in a hyperlink does not automatically update if you change the text of the linked
item (although you can change it manually), but changed text does automatically update in
a cross-reference.
108 | Getting Started with LibreOffice 5.0