Version history cannot update for an excel file (via desktop client)

Question

Hi,

We got an excel file placed at SharePoint with a dozen users co-authoring it. It works fine, except that we cannot view (thus retrieve a previous version from) the version history.

When a user try to access the version history, it said that the version history cannot be updated. Below is a screencap (yes we are using CHI version, please refer to the text in red for a rough translation)

For the record, I CAN view the version history at SharePoint, so the version history is not corrupted or anything, it's just not showing in the excel client.

And we used to be able to view the history in client as well, this issue only happens recently.

Thanks in advance. Any helps would be appreciated.

Answer 1

The issue is fixed after clearing some version history. Thanks.

Answer 2

Hi EllisTsui,

May I know if you have some updated information? Do you need further assistance?

Best Regards,

Waqas Muhammad

Answer 3

HiEllisTsui,

According to View previous versions of Office files, you can view history version in Excel desktop client by File > Info and select versions history. Version history in Office only works for files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint Online, so you should open it from your OneDrive and then you will see the option.

Sometime changing the file name to something shorter does allow to open a version history, there is a max file length that is acceptable to access version history, and it's not just based on number of characters but number of spaces as well. For reference: Invalid file names and file types in OneDrive for Business and SharePoint,

If you still not able to see the version history on Excel desktop app, we suggest you Online repair Office applications and check the outcome. You can refer to this article: Repair an Office applicationto perform it.

If repairing Office application doesn’t work, can you please provide the following information:

a. Screenshot of Office Account page. (Open Excel application> Account).

b. Does the problem happens with specific files or all the files stored in SharePoint Online or OneDrive for Business?

c. Can the other users having the permission open the version history?

d. Does this problem affect other Office applications such as Word or PowerPoint?

e. Does this problem happen to open a file in desktop client from all the document libraries or just this library?

Let us know if you need further assistance.

Best Regards,

Waqas Muhammad

Answer 4

Thanks for your reply. Please find some further info as follows:

1. The file name is far shorter than the limit, which only spans for 30 characters;
2. Repair the office application doesn't work:

a. Screenshot of Office Account page. (Open Excel application> Account).

b. Does the problem happens with specific files or all the files stored in SharePoint Online or OneDrive for Business?

This file only.

c. Can the other users having the permission open the version history?

Yes.

d. Does this problem affect other Office applications such as Word or PowerPoint?

No.

e. Does this problem happen to open a file in desktop client from all the document libraries or just this library?

Just this library.

3. I would like to stress that we used to able to view the version history of the very same file.
4. Some user can view part of the version history in desktop client, but not all.

Further question:

The file is now having about 7000+ version, which is, although under the upper limit, still a huge number. Is there any practical threshold for the number of versions? Is there a timeout setting for retrieving the history (i.e. there are far too many to show, so it timeouts before getting the full list)?

Thanks.

Answer 5

Hi EllisTsui,

Thanks for your reply. It seems issue is related to only one Excel file and it already has massive versions, now it has trouble viewing version history. An easy workaround is to copy the content of problematic Excel file and past into a newly created file and let users start editing that file.

Regarding version limitation you can check this article under is there any limit to the number of available versions. And you can also control how many versions are store.

Let us know if you need further assistance.

Best Regards,

Waqas Muhammad