Abstract: A tool for navigating composite documents composed of multiple component documents. The tool allows a user to enter a composite document identification number, and thereafter have access to each component document within the composite document. The user can view, compare and display comparisons of the component documents, including versions of component documents. A graphical user interface is provided that prompts the user for required information and provides the user with many useful views for analyzing the component documents. In an embodiment, the composite document is the file history for a patent and the component documents are amendments, including application claims, and other papers found in a file history, such as the patent application, as originally filed, and the resulting patent. One feature of the tool allows the user to select a claim and have all versions of the claim displayed for easy review and analysis.