If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a file named something like Final_v3_REAL_FINAL_JS_edits_2_REVIEWED.docx, you’ll know the pain of collaborative writing gone wrong. We’ve all been there – drowning in email attachments, conflicting edits, and the eternal question: “Which version is actually the final one?”

During our recent AcWriMo workshop on collaborative writing, we explored how Microsoft 365 tools can transform this chaos into something actually workable. Here’s what I learned (and what I wish I’d known years ago).

The Golden Rule: One Document, Multiple Editors

Let me start with the single most important thing: stop treating documents like email attachments.

The old way looked like this: everyone downloads the document, edits separately, emails it back, and someone (usually you) spends hours merging everything whilst trying not to accidentally delete someone’s brilliant paragraph. It’s exhausting.

The new way? Everyone accesses one canonical version, edits in real-time or in turns, and the document automatically integrates changes. No merging required. No version chaos.

This shift in thinking is genuinely transformative, but it requires letting go of old habits – particularly that urge to download everything to your desktop “just in case.”

OneDrive or SharePoint? Here’s When to Use Each

For smaller collaborations (2-3 people working on a journal article, for example), OneDrive works brilliantly. It’s quick to set up, easy to share with specific individuals, and perfect for most research projects.

For larger teams, complex folder structures, or longer-term institutional projects, SharePoint is your friend. Think grant applications with multiple reviewers, departmental reports, or anything that needs to live beyond one project timeline.

Sharing Settings: Start Restrictive, Expand as Needed

When you share a document, you’ve got three permission levels:

  • View: Read and download only
  • Comment: Read and add comments (but can’t edit the text)
  • Edit: Full editing access

My advice? Start with the most restrictive setting that makes sense, then expand permissions if needed. It’s much easier to give someone more access than to undo accidental deletions or unwanted changes.

And crucially: share links, not attachments. When you send someone a link instead of an attachment, they’re always looking at the most current version. No more “sorry, I was working on an old version” apologies.

The Collaboration Agreement: Have This Conversation First

Before anyone writes a single word, have a conversation about how you’ll work together. I call this the Collaboration Agreement, and it’s honestly life-changing.

Discuss:

  • Roles: Who’s doing what?
  • Timeline: When are drafts due?
  • Communication: Where will you discuss the work?
  • Technology: Which tools and features will you use?
  • Conflict resolution: How will you handle disagreements?

It sounds formal, but it only takes 10 minutes and prevents so many headaches later. You can even create a simple table documenting your decisions – future you will be grateful.

Real-Time Co-Authoring: Writing Together Without the Chaos

One of the most magical features of Microsoft 365 is real-time co-authoring. When multiple people are in a document simultaneously, you’ll see:

  • Coloured cursors showing who’s where
  • Live typing from collaborators
  • Presence indicators (who’s viewing)
  • AutoSave (no more frantic Ctrl+S-ing)

You can use Word Online for instant updates or the desktop app if you need more advanced formatting features. Both work together seamlessly – one person can be on their phone whilst another uses their desktop, and it all just works.

Comments: Your Secret Weapon

I’m a huge fan of using comments liberally. They’re brilliant for:

  • Questions about content
  • Suggestions that need discussion
  • Links to additional sources
  • Notes about data or figures
  • “Don’t delete this yet!” flags

The key to good comments? Make them actionable. Instead of writing “Not sure about this,” try “@SarahJones – This contradicts the data in Table 2. Should we revise or explain the discrepancy?”

Components of a good comment:

  • @mention (if action is needed)
  • Specific issue
  • Suggested solution or question

And here’s a pro tip: don’t delete comments – resolve them. This keeps a record of the conversation whilst clearing up the document.

Version History: Your Safety Net

Version history is genuinely a lifesaver. You can access it through File → Info → Version History (or in Word Online: View → Version History).

With version history, you can:

  • See every auto-saved version
  • Compare versions side-by-side
  • Restore previous versions
  • Name important versions

Someone accidentally deleted three crucial paragraphs? No problem – just restore the version from before the deletion. Need to see what changed overnight? Compare yesterday’s version with today’s. Your supervisor wants to see your first draft from weeks ago? Open that specific version.

OneDrive keeps versions for 60 days; SharePoint keeps them even longer. This means you can experiment fearlessly, knowing you can always go back.

Common Challenges (and How to Fix Them)

Problem #1: Too many cooks Everyone’s editing at once and it’s chaos.

Solution: Use Suggesting Mode during initial drafting, assign sections to individuals, or establish editing windows (Monday-Wednesday: Jones, Thursday-Friday: Smith). The Collaboration Agreement prevents this before it starts.

Problem #2: Lost feedback You can’t find who said what.

Solution: Use @mentions in comments for action items, resolve completed comments (don’t delete them), check the Reviewing Pane for a chronological view, or create Tasks from comments if you’re using Teams integration.

Problem #3: Conflicting edits Two people changed the same sentence differently.

Solution: Establish editing windows in advance, use comments to discuss before editing, or use the Compare Documents feature (in the Review tab). Prevention is better than cure – communicate before editing.

Problem #4: Formatting nightmares Everything looks different and it’s driving you mad.

Solution: Use Styles consistently (not manual formatting), designate one person as the formatting lead, save formatting for the last step, and convert to PDF for final submission. Remember: content first, formatting last.

Quick Wins to Try This Week

Don’t try to implement everything at once. Start small:

This week:

  • Move one collaborative project to OneDrive
  • Share it as a link (not an email attachment)
  • Have the Collaboration Agreement conversation

Next week:

  • Try co-authoring in real-time (even just for 15 minutes)
  • Use @mentions in comments
  • Explore version history on your document

Next month:

  • Review what’s working and adjust
  • Share your success with colleagues

The Core Principle

Here’s what it all comes down to: collaborative writing is about humans working together. Technology should make that easier, not harder.

Focus on the writing and the ideas. Let Microsoft 365 handle the coordination and versioning. Your job is to think and write and collaborate – not to be a version control expert.

The goal isn’t to become a Microsoft 365 wizard (though some of these features are genuinely brilliant). The goal is to spend less time wrangling documents and more time on what actually matters: the research, the ideas, the writing.

So next time you’re starting a collaborative writing project, remember: one document, shared access. Have the conversation about how you’ll work together. And trust version history to be your safety net.

Your future self – the one who’s not drowning in Final_ACTUAL_FINAL_with_comments_v7.docx – will thank you.