We have an issue when a user has a read-only copy of a document from SharePoint open and then tries to check-out and edit another copy of the document (i.e. from the document library) the checked out copy is not connected to the web server. For the user it will look the same they will make edits, save and then close, but when they do so the document is not updated in SharePoint - it may be saved locally in their SP drafts, but the user will think that they have lost their version. We then get the checked out to another user error and you have to discard changes to get the document working again. Steps to reproduce this issue: * click on the name of a office doc on a Document Library * Make sure "Read Only" is selected and click "ok" * Minimize open document * click on the same file on the Document Library * Make sure "check out and edit" is selected and the "Use my local drafts folder" checkbox is ticked. Select OK. * Edit document and press save. Changes are never saved back in SharePoint, they are only on the local draft. We are using MOSS with SP2. Clients are on Office 2003 and 2007 Is this normal behaviour? Is there anything that can be done to prevent this from happening?

Hi, Since SharePoint just allow one connection to a user account, SharePoint just download the file without connections to the file on SharePoint site when you click the document at second time with checkout and edit (SharePoint will also checkout the document to you but will not create a new connection.) So please avoid doing the operations like you mentioned. You can click the edit button in the read-only file to edit the document. Hope it is helpful!Seven

Hi Seven: Can you clarify something then? Why does this behaviour only occur with Word documents and not Excel documents? Trying it with an Excel document results in Excel saying that a document with the same name is already open and therefore you can't open a new version. Trying it with a Word document results in Word obediently opening the second document, thereby allowing the above issue to occur. Why are there two different behaviors within the Office suite? By the way, confirmed also on Office 2010.