SharePoint: Track Changes the Easy Way

Key insights

• Hidden Check-out/Check-in
  The video demonstrates that SharePoint's check-out/check-in is buried in nested menus, with a red arrow showing a checked-out file.
  Finding this menu gives you lightweight document control many users miss.
• Exclusive editing
  When you check out a file you get sole edit rights and others see the previous version until you check it back in.
  This prevents accidental overwrites and version conflicts during focused edits.
• Version history and Check-in comments
  Checking a document back in lets you add a comment, which saves with the version history, timestamps, and user name to create an audit trail.
  That information supports rollback, compliance, and a clear record of what changed and why.
• Governance vs co-authoring
  Use check-out/check-in for policy documents, contracts, templates, or any file that needs controlled changes instead of real-time co-authoring.
  Choose the method that matches your need for formal change tracking versus collaborative editing.
• Automation and admin reports
  Admins can use Power Automate to alert or archive on changes and run change-history reports filtered by user and date; some advanced reports and extended retention may require specific Microsoft 365 licenses.
  These tools help scale tracking and provide site-level visibility up to recent retention limits.
• User training and document rules
  Train teams where the feature lives, require check-in comments, and set clear policies about when to check out files.
  Consistent use and simple governance make the feature effective for auditability and controlled editing.

Daniel Anderson [MVP] published a concise YouTube walkthrough that shows how to track edits in SharePoint using a little-known workflow. In the video he demonstrates the buried check-in/check-out feature step by step and pairs it with Microsoft 365 Copilot to speed edits. Therefore, his guide aims to help organizations add simple governance without heavy process tools. The demonstration is practical and targeted at teams that need a reliable audit trail for document changes.

Where the Hidden Feature Lives

Anderson begins by locating the function that many users miss: it sits behind multiple menu layers, accessed through the three dots menu and then a More submenu. Consequently, documents that are checked out show a clear red arrow indicator so colleagues know someone has exclusive edit rights. In addition, he notes that the menu placement explains why small teams rarely discover the option on their own. Therefore, organizations should map this UI path for staff when they set up governance guidance.

How the Check-Out and Check-In Workflow Works

When a user checks out a file, Anderson explains, they gain exclusive editing rights and prevent others from overwriting work in progress. Meanwhile, other users keep seeing the prior version until the file is checked back in, which avoids merge conflicts and accidental updates. He shows the check-in form where the editor documents their changes, creating a human-readable note that appears in version history. As a result, the process builds a lightweight but useful audit trail without custom workflows.

Anderson also walks through version history to demonstrate how each check-in increments versions, tags the author, and timestamps the action. This visibility makes it straightforward to roll back or inspect changes when compliance or review is required. Moreover, he emphasizes that the check-in comment field becomes the single source of context for why edits happened. Thus, the pattern works well for regulated documents that need descriptive change notes.

Using Copilot and Modern Tracking Tools

In the video, Anderson uses Microsoft 365 Copilot to assist with editing, showing how AI can speed drafting and suggest improvements while the user remains in control. He demonstrates that Copilot can help generate or refine check-in comments and propose edit summaries, which simplifies the documentation step. However, he cautions that AI suggestions should be reviewed before check-in to avoid inaccuracies or unintended changes. Therefore, Copilot complements the workflow but does not remove the need for human oversight.

When to Choose Check-Out Over Co-Authoring

Anderson lays out practical scenarios where exclusive check-out makes more sense than real-time co-authoring, such as legal contracts, policy documents, and templates that must remain stable. In these situations, governance and traceability matter more than the speed of concurrent editing. Meanwhile, co-authoring excels for brainstorming or living documents where immediate collaboration drives value. Consequently, deciding between the two approaches requires balancing control against flexibility and speed.

Tradeoffs and Adoption Challenges

While the hidden check-out model offers strong control, Anderson acknowledges several tradeoffs that organizations must weigh when adopting it. First, the extra steps for checking out and commenting add friction, which can slow routine edits and frustrate users who expect seamless collaboration. Second, the company must invest in training and clear policies so staff understand when to use check-out versus co-authoring. Finally, some advanced reporting or long-term retention features may require additional licensing and admin setup, which increases cost and complexity.

To address these challenges, Anderson suggests simple governance: document the UI path, require check-in comments for certain libraries, and set clear rules about which documents need exclusive edits. He also recommends piloting the practice with a few teams and tracking compliance before scaling. In addition, administrators should evaluate available reporting tools and potential license needs to make an informed rollout plan. Ultimately, the feature delivers tangible benefits only when teams use it consistently and understand its limitations.

In conclusion, the YouTube walkthrough by Daniel Anderson [MVP] highlights a powerful but overlooked capability in SharePoint that helps teams balance control and collaboration. By combining the hidden check-in/check-out feature with modern tools like Copilot and version history, organizations can create clear, human-readable track changes trails without heavy custom workflows. However, successful adoption depends on training, clear rules, and an understanding of the tradeoffs involved. Therefore, teams should weigh governance needs against user experience before making this approach their default.

Keywords

SharePoint change tracking, Track changes in SharePoint, SharePoint version history, SharePoint audit logs, SharePoint activity alerts, Track file changes in SharePoint, SharePoint document tracking, Easy SharePoint change notification