Help for Writers

These instructions cover how to edit documents in Yale’s PolicyTech application tool. The intended audience is the licensed users who are assigned as writers and are responsible for editing policies, procedures, and guidelines related to the Yale School of Medicine.

To start the drafting process, first visit YSM PolicyTech Website and log in using your NetID and password.

To access the document you want to edit, first, click on "My Tasks" located on the left-hand side navigation bar. Then, under the "Collaborate" section in the middle window, locate the desired policy. Finally, select the policy's title to open it.

Alternatively, you can select the document to edit by clicking the link in the email that was sent to you as a task notification.

A preview of the document will then display in your web browser. To edit it, select the "Edit Document" button. This should default to opening the document in Microsoft Word's 365 web version. You may then edit the document as necessary, inserting comments where appropriate to explain your changes or pose questions or concerns. Make sure to activate the track changes feature by navigating to the review tab and choosing "Track changes for everyone".

Please Note: The first time you open a document in PolicyTech you will need to set default options. When prompted, check the "Set as Default" checkbox next to "Open in Microsoft 365 for the web." Then, select the "Go" button to the right.

By accessing the web version of the document, several writers can collaborate and edit the document simultaneously, with changes being saved automatically. After completing the editing, click the "go back" button to return to the preview page.

Alternatively, users have the option to open the document with the Microsoft 365 desktop application, which will result the document to open in a separate Microsoft Word window.

After finishing the edits, save and close the Word document to exit and return to the web browser. You should receive a message similar to the following: "Save and close Word then click Back to PolicyTech above." Click on the "Back to PolicyTech" button to go back to the preview page.

Next, you have two choices: (A) if you have completed all of your edits on the document, click on the "Done Revising" button located at the top of your window, or (B) if you want to save your progress but resume editing the document at a later time, choose the "Finish Later" button instead. If you select "Finish Later," you will be taken back to your "My Tasks" list, and you will not need to follow the subsequent steps.

Once you select “Finished Writing”, type in any comments in the small window that appears and then click on "Save." The document will then progress to the next stage in the workflow.

Note: To add what you wrote to this document's discussion board where all assignees (writers/reviewers/approvers) can see it, click Post to Discussion Board. This allows for recipients to reply to your comments and for those 'discussions' to be stored with the content. Discussions can help clarify questions without having to go through another workflow cycle. Click on the Discussions link when viewing content to view and reply to discussions.

Finally, a small window will appear, verifying who will receive notifications and who will not. Click on "Save" again, and the tab or window displaying the document should close.

Congratulations! You have successfully edited a document in PolicyTech.

You can find answers to many of your questions by using the Help feature in the PolicyTech application. In the upper right corner, click your username, and then click “Help”. Browse the table of contents or search for a specific topic.