Locking SharePoint files from Editing While in Use by Another User

Question

I am using the latest version of Office 2016. I have multiple users using an Excel file saved on a SharePoint file. In previous versions Excel would prompt you when another user was in the same file and it would lock it for editing. It would also tell you what user was in the file. With the newer versions Excel will allow you to edit the file. However, when you go to save, it tells you that there is a conflict. This may require you to have to create a new file to save the changes or void the other user's changes. Since this would require the user to have to make the changes all over again to the correct file once the other user has exited the file, I would prefer just to go back to having the system lock the file for editing and notify the user that another user is already in the file. Is there a way to go back to having the system automatically lock the file for editing if another user is already editing the same file in Excel?

Answer 1

Hi Vweetly,

It is not feasible to remind user can’t edit the file as another user was in the same file when user open the file.

If you didn’t set “Allow change by more than one user”, you couldn’t upload your change when there is another user was in the same file.

You can refer to the following article:

About the shared workbook feature

Given the situation, we suggest you vote for your requirement to UserVoice, which will help better our products and services.

Thanks for your understanding.

Qing