A computer storage medium including instructions, which when executed by a computer, provide: a productivity application; an application programming interface for incrementally replaying content in a graphical user interface of the productivity application; and an incremental content replayer, in communication with the productivity application via the application programming interface, operative to: receive a selection of a user-defined area of interest in the graphical user interface for which to replay the content from the productivity application displayed therein, wherein the content is comprised of a plurality of content elements, the user-defined area of interest being a subset of a total area of the graphical user interface; establish a replay order of the content in the area of interest; receive an indication of a starting point and a replay mode; when the replay mode is backward: identify a foremost content element relative to the starting point currently displayed; and change a display state of the foremost content element to hidden; when the replay mode is forward: identify a backmost content element relative to the starting point currently displayed; and change a display state of the backmost content element to visible; receive an annotation during replay of the content; and assign the annotation to the replay order at a given position based on a current position of the replay order, wherein a display state for the annotation is visible at the given position and hidden at other positions in the replay order. a productivity application; an application programming interface for incrementally replaying content in a graphical user interface of the productivity application; and an incremental content replayer, in communication with the productivity application via the application programming interface, operative to: receive a selection of a user-defined area of interest in the graphical user interface for which to replay the content from the productivity application displayed therein, wherein the content is comprised of a plurality of content elements, the user-defined area of interest being a subset of a total area of the graphical user interface; establish a replay order of the content in the area of interest; receive an indication of a starting point and a replay mode; when the replay mode is backward: identify a foremost content element relative to the starting point currently displayed; and change a display state of the foremost content element to hidden; when the replay mode is forward: identify a backmost content element relative to the starting point currently displayed; and change a display state of the backmost content element to visible; receive an annotation during replay of the content; and assign the annotation to the replay order at a given position based on a current position of the replay order, wherein a display state for the annotation is visible at the given position and hidden at other positions in the replay order. receive a selection of a user-defined area of interest in the graphical user interface for which to replay the content from the productivity application displayed therein, wherein the content is comprised of a plurality of content elements, the user-defined area of interest being a subset of a total area of the graphical user interface; establish a replay order of the content in the area of interest; receive an indication of a starting point and a replay mode; when the replay mode is backward: identify a foremost content element relative to the starting point currently displayed; and change a display state of the foremost content element to hidden; identify a foremost content element relative to the starting point currently displayed; and change a display state of the foremost content element to hidden; when the replay mode is forward: identify a backmost content element relative to the starting point currently displayed; and change a display state of the backmost content element to visible; identify a backmost content element relative to the starting point currently displayed; and change a display state of the backmost content element to visible; receive an annotation during replay of the content; and assign the annotation to the replay order at a given position based on a current position of the replay order, wherein a display state for the annotation is visible at the given position and hidden at other positions in the replay order.