tools-only Redlining Workflow for Document Review
This workflow allows you to plan comprehensive tracked changes using markdown before implementing them in OOXML. CRITICAL: For complete tracked changes, you must implement ALL changes systematically.
Batching Strategy
Group related changes into batches of 3-10 changes. This makes debugging manageable while maintaining efficiency. Test each batch before moving to the next.
Principle: Minimal, Precise Edits
When implementing tracked changes, only mark text that actually changes. Repeating unchanged text makes edits harder to review and appears unprofessional. Break replacements into: [unchanged text] + [deletion] + [insertion] + [unchanged text]. Preserve the original run's RSID for unchanged text by extracting the <w:r> element from the original and reusing it.
Example - Changing "30 days" to "60 days" in a sentence:
# BAD - Replaces entire sentence
'<w:del><w:r><w:delText>The term is 30 days.</w:delText></w:r></w:del><w:ins><w:r><w:t>The term is 60 days.</w:t></w:r></w:ins>'
# GOOD - Only marks what changed, preserves original <w:r> for unchanged text
'<w:r w:rsidR="00AB12CD"><w:t>The term is </w:t></w:r><w:del><w:r><w:delText>30</w:delText></w:r></w:del><w:ins><w:r><w:t>60</w:t></w:r></w:ins><w:r w:rsidR="00AB12CD"><w:t> days.</w:t></w:r>'
Tracked Changes Workflow
1. Get markdown representation
Convert document to markdown with tracked changes preserved:
pandoc --track-changes=all path-to-file.docx -o current.md
2. Identify and group changes
Review the document and identify ALL changes needed, organising them into logical batches.
Location methods (for finding changes in XML):
- Section/heading numbers (e.g., "Section 3.2", "Article IV")
- Paragraph identifiers if numbered
- Grep patterns with unique surrounding text
- Document structure (e.g., "first paragraph", "signature block")
- DO NOT use markdown line numbers - they don't map to XML structure
Batch organisation (group 3-10 related changes per batch):
- By section: "Batch 1: Section 2 amendments", "Batch 2: Section 5 updates"
- By type: "Batch 1: Date corrections", "Batch 2: Party name changes"
- By complexity: Start with simple text replacements, then tackle complex structural changes
- Sequential: "Batch 1: Pages 1-3", "Batch 2: Pages 4-6"
3. Read documentation and unpack
- MANDATORY - READ ENTIRE FILE: Read
../ooxml.md(~600 lines) completely from start to finish. NEVER set any range limits when reading this file. Pay special attention to the "Document Library" and "Tracked Change Patterns" sections. - Unpack the document:
python ooxml/scripts/unpack.py <file.docx> <dir> - Note the suggested RSID: The unpack script will suggest an RSID to use for your tracked changes. Copy this RSID for use in step 4b.
4. Implement changes in batches
Group changes logically (by section, by type, or by proximity) and implement them together in a single script. This approach:
- Makes debugging easier (smaller batch = easier to isolate errors)
- Allows incremental progress
- Maintains efficiency (batch size of 3-10 changes works well)
Suggested batch groupings:
- By document section (e.g., "Section 3 changes", "Definitions", "Termination clause")
- By change type (e.g., "Date changes", "Party name updates", "Legal term replacements")
- By proximity (e.g., "Changes on pages 1-3", "Changes in first half of document")
For each batch of related changes:
a. Map text to XML: Grep for text in word/document.xml to verify how text is split across <w:r> elements.
b. Create and run script: Use get_node to find nodes, implement changes, then doc.save(). See "Document Library" section in ooxml.md for patterns.
Note: Always grep word/document.xml immediately before writing a script to get current line numbers and verify text content. Line numbers change after each script run.
5. Pack the document
After all batches are complete, convert the unpacked directory back to .docx:
python ooxml/scripts/pack.py unpacked reviewed-document.docx
6. Final verification
Do a comprehensive check of the complete document:
Convert final document to markdown:
pandoc --track-changes=all reviewed-document.docx -o verification.mdVerify ALL changes were applied correctly:
grep "original phrase" verification.md # Should NOT find it grep "replacement phrase" verification.md # Should find itCheck that no unintended changes were introduced