How to Display the Latest SharePoint List Comment with Version History
Question details
A SharePoint Online user needs the list to display only the current comment instead of showing View Entries and approval-related messages, while still keeping previous comments available through version history.
- Product
- SharePoint Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A SharePoint Online list uses append changes and versioning to preserve comments, and the user wants the latest comment to appear directly in the list.
- Observed behavior
- The list displays View Entries and approval-related messages such as Approval status instead of the current comment text.
Check that you have permission to manage the SharePoint list settings, and confirm that the comments column is a Multiple lines of text column before changing versioning or approval options.
Disable Content Approval and Configure the Comments Column to Show the Latest Comment
Use this solution when a SharePoint Online list shows View Entries and Approval status instead of the current comment, and you want to keep older comments in version history.
The View Entries link appears when a Multiple lines of text column has Append Changes to Existing Text enabled. Content approval adds the Approval status and can prevent the current comment from being displayed directly. Disabling content approval and relying on version history lets the list show the latest comment while preserving previous comments.
In the SharePoint Online list, select the gear icon and choose List settings, or select Settings > List settings on the command bar.
Under General Settings, click Versioning settings. In the Content Approval section, set Require content approval for submitted items? to No, then click OK.
In the same Versioning settings page, under Item Version History, select Create major versions and click OK.
Return to List settings and click the comments column. Set the column type to Multiple lines of text. Expand More options and set Append Changes to Existing Text to No so the current comment is displayed directly, then click OK.
Return to the list and create or edit an item. The current comment now appears in the column, and previous comments are available through the item's version history.
Use WPS Office as a Free Alternative for SharePoint-Downloaded Files
WPS Office cannot change SharePoint Online list settings, but it is a free, lightweight Office alternative that opens Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files with high compatibility and a familiar ribbon UI. It is ideal for viewing and editing files downloaded from SharePoint without a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my SharePoint list show View Entries instead of the comment text?
This usually happens when the Multiple lines of text column has Append Changes to Existing Text enabled. Edit the column, expand More options, and set Append Changes to Existing Text to No; use version history to keep earlier comments.
How do I turn off content approval in SharePoint Online?
Open the list, click the gear icon and choose List settings. Then click Versioning settings, set Require content approval for submitted items? to No, and click OK.
Will previous comments be lost after disabling append changes?
No, if item version history is enabled. In Versioning settings, select Create major versions so each edit keeps a version, and previous comments remain available through version history.
Can WPS Office change SharePoint list versioning or approval settings?
No, these settings must be changed in SharePoint Online. WPS Office can open and edit Office files downloaded from SharePoint with Microsoft Office format compatibility.
What column type should I use for comments?
Use a Multiple lines of text column. Avoid enabling Append Changes to Existing Text if you want the current comment to appear directly in the list view while keeping older comments in version history.
