Problem about Shared EXCEL file: Unexpected (Wrong) Data Inputs

Question

Hi, all

I'm having problems about the shared file.  After trying to find out the cause of the problems, I really have no idea for the solution. Some solution I found is to avoid using the share function and separate the file into sheets and combine it later on, but this will be too much work for me. Thus, I am seeking for your advises. Thank you in advance.

Symptom:

• One data has been keyed in a range, but also overwritten data in other rows, later on.
• Some data has not been updated afterwards, even we have seen that that data have been successfully updated in the file.
• Track changes have no records about the unexpected overwritten data.

User Conditions:

• Only one person, the starter, will start input the customer name in each row. Other users will add data of each customer in their portfolio by filtering his/her name in a column. Updates are on daily basis.
• Total data are about 6,000-7,000 rows with "A"-"CA" columns.
• Sometimes, the file is corrupted and cannot be saved. I found once that the "(shared") text after the opened file name had disappeared during working on the file.
• The file has been shared with no problem about overwritten data for about a few months. The problem just occurred in these two days.
• The EXCEL file has been shared with about 15 people in the team, using EXCEL 2007. However, one supervisor has both EXCEL and WPS applications on his computer. He might open the file with WPS application.
• Macros are used in the file, but it is simple ones (just to select other range or to filter with specific criteria).
• Data in the shared files has been also linked by other EXCEL files. Those files are opened only a few time per month.

Answer 1

Shared Excel files are a recipe for trouble, as you have seen. If you are able to upgrade to Office 365 subscription, you can use co-authoring, which is many time better.

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/collaborate-on-excel-workbooks-at-the-same-time-with-co-authoring-7152aa8b-b791-414c-a3bb-3024e46fb104