Multiple users are able to edit same Excel file on server

Hello,

One of the employees at our company has reported an issue with some spreadsheets they use in their department. This spreadsheet(s) is allowing multiple users to edit the file without requiring one of them to be read only. They have not shared the file and have not selected the checkbox allowing more than one user at a time. This has caused these users to overwrite the changes of the other. What could be causing this and how do we correct it? I have never come across an issue similar to this one.

Thank you,

David Alge

August 21st, 2015 5:17pm

Hi David Alge,

Based on your description, my understanding is that multiple users can edited a Workbook on server, but the Workbook is not a shared file.

Is my understanding correct?

I tested your issue in my own environment (Windows 10 & Excel 2013). I created a sample file without Share Workbook and Allow Users to Edit Ranges options, then I saved the Workbook on network.

I noticed that if the permission of Folder for the user S is Read/Write he can also edit the Workbook on network.

I suggest you check the permission of the folder for users. Maybe this is the reason of your issue.

Hope it's helpful.

Regards,

Emi Zhang
TechNet Community Su

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August 24th, 2015 3:23am

Yes, that is correct. We have a departmental share folder setup and users in the department are granted either read/write or read only, depending on how the department wants their permissions. The problem is the following:

User A

Opens Workbook.xlsx from the server. Excel shows read/write

User B 

Opens Workbook.xlsx from the server. Does not notify user that User A has the file open. 

Both User A and User B make changes to the workbook. User B saves the file and exits. User A saves the file and exits.

One of these users opens the file again and all of User B's changes are lost because User A was the last person to save the file and it overwrote the changes that User B did.

We need to find out why when User B opened the file AFTER User A, that it did not show the popup box and give the option to open in read only mode.

Thank you,

David Alge

August 24th, 2015 1:29pm

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