How to Lock Zoho Writer During Collaboration and More Cool Tricks

If you frequently work on word processors like Google Docs or Zoho Writer, then you must know that creating a perfect document usually entails a lot of rewriting from scratch. Be it the addition of new sentences or correcting previous flaws. The situation is relatively easy if you are working alone on a doc.

However, if you’re collaborating with your team members, it’s important that you know how to streamline the experience. After all, you wouldn’t want your colleagues working and reworking on the same block endlessly.

Thankfully, Zoho Docs (writer) comes with a nifty option which lets you lock a certain part of the document while collaborating with others. Hence, in this post today, we will explore how to lock Zoho Writer during collaboration and other advanced features.

How to Lock Selected Content for Collaboration

Step 1: Once you have completed your part of the document, click on the Review button at the top.

Step 2: Next, select the text snippet which you want to lock. Click on the little Lock icon at the top and choose Lock Selected Content, and that’s all.

Now, whenever someone on your shared group clicks on that text block, they’ll see a tiny Lock icon and a message saying, “The content has been locked by …” for editing.

How to Allow Editing for a Specific People

However, we all know that working on the same document with others is not necessarily a black and white job. There are times when you want a block of text to be edited by only a certain member on your team. In situations like this, surely you wouldn’t want to draft another email detailing who would edit which section and the likes.

That’s when the Advanced features of Zoho Writer come in use. To enable it, go to the Review mode and click on the Lock icon. Next select on the Advanced Options.

Now, add the email address of the person whom you want to give the exclusive permission and hit the Lock button. That’s all!

How to Mask Text

Again, if you are the owner of a document and you’d want to redact or mask a certain block of text, Zoho Writer lets you do even that. It comes in handy when you have to add sensitive data and do not want everyone on your team to read it.

However, Mask doesn’t work like most tools, meaning you can’t select a text snippet and then mask it. Instead, you have to click on the icon and then enter the data.

Step 1: The tool for this task is Mask, denoted by the tiny eye-icon at the top. Place your cursor where you want to add the text and click on it. That will add a text box denoted by dotted lines.

Step 2: Now, add the text, and that’s about it.

While you will be able to see the text colored grey, other collaborators will see the lines denoted by asterisks. Yep, just like those old FBI movies.

How to Pause Collaboration on Zoho Writer

Thankfully, the process to pause collaboration is a walk in the park. Simply switch to the Review mode and click on toggle for Pause Collaboration at the top.

When done, you’ll see a warning at the top that none of your collaborators will be able to edit the document. On the other hand, collaborators will see that the document is checked out by one of your team members.

So, the next time you see the document is checked out, you’ll know what to do, instead of clicking on different buttons and tools.

Bonus Zoho Writer Tips and Tricks

1. How to View Document History

When you often collaborate on a single document, it’s essential that you know who made the changes and when. Luckily for us, Zoho Writer comes with a nifty View History feature. With it, not only can you see who made the changes, but you can also see the latest additions to a version. Plus, you can also compare the different versions, should the need arise.

Step 1: Click on the View History icon at the top (denoted by the sand timer). Again, you will find it in the Review mode.

Step 2: Now, this will display the different versions on the right panel. Click on the Compare Versions button at the top, to well, compare the versions.

To see the latest additions, click on See What’s Changed button and select the timing. All the new text additions along, with line breaks will be highlighted.

2. Keep Track of Changes

Though Writer has some serious tracking capabilities, at times, it becomes too cumbersome to go through every one of them. If you are someone who needs to review changes in a super urgent manner, the best option is to enable the Track Changes feature.

As you may have already guessed, it highlights all the recent changes. And it’s up to the owner to accept or reject these changes.

To enable Track Changes, toggle the button at the top. Team members will see the green button light up at the top.

You’ll see the name and the timing when any changes are made. Even the tiniest line break is tracked under this mode. As an owner, all you have to do is click on the highlights and accept/reject the changes.

Once done, the text will take up the default text color.

3. Use the Built-In Email Notifications

Wish to announce some new changes regarding your shared document? No need to write a separate email. Instead, Zoho Writer lets you notify them via the email option from within the tool.

Click on the little Letter icon at the top. The names of the collaborators will be added automatically. All you need to do is add the subject and the body and hit the Send button.

Collaborate Smartly

Gone are the days when you have to rely on email forwards to collaborate on a document. Word-processing services like Google Docs and Zoho Writer take the frustration out via their smart collaboration features. They help you to keep track of the changes and enable you to streamline your work and save time in the process.

Next up: Speaking of time management, if you happen to own an Android phone with Android Pie do go through the post below to become a productivity monster.