To prevent that inconvenient situation, online document collaboration tools were created. These web apps let you conveniently edit Word documents with your friends and contacts online. One such great collaboration tool is “Agile Words” – a brilliant collaboration tool specifically for Microsoft Word documents.
Introduction
Agile Words is collaboration application for Microsoft Word files. The app lets you upload Word documents and then invite friends via email to collaborate on those documents. You can edit the text of the document, leave comments, set review deadlines, and request approvals. The final product can then be downloaded as a Word file with the changes displayed using the “Track Changes” feature.
The original document is also preserved and can be downloaded anytime.
Loading a Word File to Edit and Comment on it
Agile Words offers a feature-rich yet user-friendly interface. Before using the site you should create an account with Agile Words and click on the activation link emailed to you. Next you upload a Word document or start with one of the sample documents already present in the site’s database.
Your document is read and displayed in the site’s own interface. The main document is displayed in the center pane while comments, options, and other tools are located at the top and side panes.
To edit a part of the text in the document you can right-click on it and select “Edit Content.”
This options lets you type in the replacement text. Edited portions are highlighted in yellow when you return to the document view.
The right-click menu can also be used to leave comments. An easier approach is to simply double-click a word or line; this automatically pops up the comments box. Comments are visible as boxes on the right or left of the document.
There is also a comments pane which is located on the full-right. This pane helps view who left the comments without actually browsing over to where the comments were left.
A different view lets you see which pages got comments and edits.
This view also lets you quickly jump to a certain page with going through the pages in between.
Collaboration
Invitation to friends can be sent using the “Invite” button on top.
Friends can be invited to edit the document via their email address. While sending out the invitations to each friend, you can specify whether they will have the privileges of an author or only a reviewer. A default message is included to be sent with the invitation; you can edit the message to suit your liking.
Downloading
After all the collaboration steps have been performed and you feel the document is complete, you can download it using the options located in the top left.
The site lets you download the original document and the latest modified version.
You can quickly access other uploaded Word using your Agile Word Dashboard that keeps a track of the documents you are collaborating on.
Pricing
Currently using the website is absolutely free. But it is mentioned that payment plans are going to be introduced soon. These will only be according to the authors on a document with free support for unlimited reviewers. The basic payment plans will begin from $24 per month.
Conclusion
The features offered by Agile Words are a great convenience to all who work on a Word file as a group. Whether you are the lead author of a research paper or the manager of a proposal, this web app will serve your needs excellently.
Visit “Agile Words” @ http://www.agilewords.com/
