Excel crashes when multiple users edit workbooks using "open in app" from Microsoft Teams

Question

Having major issues with spreadsheets saved in Microsoft Teams crashing when multiple users are editing. A pop up comes up saying the file changes cannot be merged, and you will need to either discard changes or save a copy. Sometimes this happens over and over. We are losing hge amounts of changes this way.

Answer 1

Hi

There are some specific scenarios that are known to cause a crash. Changing the cell format color, for example, is one such known issue that is being worked on.

If you can reply with the version of Excel involved and the specific actions that preceded the crash, these can be reported as bugs so they can be fixed if you are using the current update to Microsoft Excel.

To find the version of Excel for Mac being used, on the menu bar choose Excel > About Microsoft Excel. The current update is 16.59

Answer 2

Using the clues Jim suggested to identify possible causes of the error. Then report them to MS using the Feedback process

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Feedback Hub

The “Answers” forum / community is “staffed” mostly by users like yourself, unpaid volunteers. This forum is intended more for “How to do something in application A” type questions. We sometimes can provide work-arounds for problems, but we can’t do anything about underlying problem. If the forum can’t solve your question you need to talk directly to MS, you need to submit a “Feedback” to MS.
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For a couple of years now MS has had a "feedback" process that allows users submit bug reports / problems, suggestions and new feature requests directly to MS developers and managers. You can submit feedbacks from within many MS apps, or you can use the Win10 “Feedback Hub” app. This article describes the different ways you can submit Feedback to MS:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/microsoft-feedback-process/6f850368-8c86-481d-a207-d95b265c4be4
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There is also a new web based “Feedback Portal” in development. It is still labelled “Preview”. It provides functionality similar to the feedback hub. Access to feedbacks submitted in 34 categories.
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/

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As users we are unpaid quality control testers, we identify bugs, they pick which feedbacks they will work on, and when they will release them, for testing by Insiders and to general public.
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But don't "expect" anything like feedback about your feedback back from MS.
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MS will make fixes and changes on their own schedule.
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They will not provide much, if any, advance notice of what they are working on and/or when it will be released.
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Hint : get a “share” link to your feedback (may take a couple of minutes to process the initial submission of the feedback) and post the link back to this question. That way if someone finds this question they will be able to link directly to your feedback so they can vote for it and add their comments. The more feedback on a subject, the more likely it is to be acted on.

i.e.

"Feedback" suggesting that they create a "Support / Support" category in the feedback app to collect complaints about poor service in MS Support: https://aka.ms/AAdyeq0
. Be publicly vocal about your complaints.  Post on social media https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/industry-blog/microsoft-in-business/media-comm/2017/04/18/microsoft-uses-social-media-create-customer-experience/
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Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Microsoft365/posts/
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Answer 3

Hi Kate,

I understand the level of frustration you are going through; I know it is hard to work when things don’t go as expected. I will try my best to help you with this issue.

Sometimes you may see this error when coauthoring with others. The error bar appears, AutoSave turns off, and no more updates come in. This error happened as your document cannot be saved to the server because your edits can’t be merged with changes from others.

If you have any edits you don’t want to lose, select Save a Copy and save the file under a new name. Reopen the live file and add back any changes that didn't make it to the server copy.

Note:You can also select all and copy, paste the document into a new window, and then selectDiscard Changes*. You can then add back any changes that didn't make it to the server copy.*

Besides, instead of opening the file from Teams via Open in App, try opening the workbook from within Excel app itself (File>Open>OneDrive/SharePoint location), see if you still encounter this error.

further, please check if your Office apps are fully updated. The latest version of Microsoft 365 for mac is 16.59 (22031300). To check version, open any Office app such as Excel, go to the Excel menu and choose About Excel.

If the version appears lower, then manually update Office apps, click Help > Check for Updates from any of the Office app to get the latest build.

Let me know if you still encounter this issue.

Regards,

Neha