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Using LockServerFile Method on Sharepoint Online

TsukubaGT1 1 Reputation point
2022-11-02T03:54:28.577+00:00

My company is in the process of migrating from classic SP to Sharepoint Online, and I manage several macro-enabled Excel projects. Most of these projects open other common Excel files, and part of the process for locking files for editing is to check if another user has the file open by using the LockServerFile method. This works because the classic Sharepoint site opens every file as read-only by default (the yellow ribbon with the 'Edit Workbook' button appears upon opening). However, the new Sharepoint Online sites open files in edit mode, and calls to LockServerFile result in an error. I did not create these projects, and was told that attempts to use Check In/Check Out in the past to try to restrict users to editing one at a time had caused issues in the past, so I am trying to avoid that.

My questions are the following:

1) Is there some kind of setting within Sharepoint that can make all files (or at least Excel files) open as read-only by default, while still allowing users the option to change to edit mode?

2) Assuming the answer to my first question is yes, is LockServerFile still compatible with SPO?

3) If I can't use LockServerFile, is there any alternative outside of Check In/Check Out, or is that my only alternative?

Thank you

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  1. Emily Du-MSFT 44,311 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2022-11-02T07:57:17.287+00:00

    @TsukubaGT1

    1.Please go to Library settings -> Versioning Settings -> Set Require Check Out as Yes. Then when users open files, files show Viewing by default.

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    2.Excel macro is not supported in the browser.

    3.From SharePoint side, besides check in and check out feature, there is an OOTB way to achieve this. I recommend you use check in and check out feature to keep others from making changes when you are making changes to a file.

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