Add comments to a document

Comments in GitLaw are anchored to the exact text you highlight, kept in a separate layer so your document content is never modified when you annotate it. Threads can be replied to and resolved without being deleted.

Add a comment

1. Select the text you want to annotate - this can span a single word, a clause, or multiple paragraphs.
2. A context menu or toolbar option will appear; click Comment.
3. Type your note and submit. The highlighted range gains a visual indicator in the document body.

Comments carry your name and a timestamp automatically.

Reply to a thread

1. Click the comment indicator on the highlighted text (or find the thread in the comments panel).
2. Click Reply beneath the thread.
3. Type your reply and submit.

Replies are nested under the original comment, keeping the discussion in one place.

Resolve a thread

Once a point is addressed, click Resolve on the thread. The thread collapses and is marked as done - it is not deleted, so you can review it later. Resolved threads remain visible in the comments panel when you filter for them.

👉 If a comment is attached to a tracked change, accepting or rejecting that change will automatically resolve the paired comment. See Accept or reject tracked changes.

Comments on imported documents

When you import a Word (.docx) file, any existing comments are brought in and displayed with an External badge alongside the original author name. These imported comments are read-only records of the counterparty's annotations - GitLaw does not attempt to match them to a GitLaw user account.

Exporting with comments

When you export your document to Word, all open and resolved comments are included as standard Word comments, so recipients see them in their usual review pane. If a thread is marked as resolved, it is exported with a [Resolved] indicator where the format requires it.

When you re-import an exported file (for example, after a counterparty has added their own notes), GitLaw matches the original comments back to avoid duplicates. Any new comments added by the counterparty are imported as External threads.

👉 For a full redlining workflow that combines comments with tracked changes, see Negotiate and redline a contract.