I cant see changes to a shared excel doc in real time. Why?

Question

I am editing an excel doc with a colleague and cannot see the changes they make in real-time. For example, when they hide a column, I cannot see the changes. Help!

Answer 1

Hello,

I'm Ibhadighi and I'd happily help you with your question. In this forum, we are Microsoft consumers just like yourself.

If you and your colleague are working on an Excel document and you're not seeing each other's changes in real-time, it's possible that the document isn't set up for real-time collaboration, or there might be a synchronization issue. Here are steps to troubleshoot and set up real-time collaboration in Excel:

1. Check for Compatibility: • Ensure that both you and your colleague are using a compatible version of Excel that supports real-time collaboration. Office 365 and Excel Online typically offer this feature.
2. Save the Document to a Cloud Location: • To collaborate in real-time, the Excel document should be saved to a cloud location, such as OneDrive or SharePoint. Make sure the document is stored there, and you both have access.
3. Share the Document: • If the document isn't shared, you won't see real-time changes. Use the sharing options provided by your cloud storage service (e.g., OneDrive) to share the document with your colleague. Make sure they have editing permissions.
4. Use Excel Online: • If your colleague is using Excel Online (the web-based version of Excel), it typically provides real-time collaboration features by default. You can open the document in Excel Online from your cloud storage, and both of you should see changes in real-time.
5. Enable AutoSave: • In Excel Online, AutoSave is enabled by default. Ensure that AutoSave is turned on so that changes are saved automatically and immediately visible to others.
6. Refresh the Document: • If you're working in the desktop version of Excel and not seeing changes, try manually refreshing the document. Go to the "Data" tab and click "Refresh All." This can help sync any changes made by your colleague.
7. Use Co-Authoring Features: • In Excel, you can use the "Co-Authoring" feature to collaborate in real-time. If your document is properly set up for co-authoring, you should see your colleague's changes as they make them. • In Excel Online, co-authoring is automatic. • In the desktop version of Excel (Office 365), multiple users can edit the same document simultaneously.
8. Check for Updates: • Make sure that both you and your colleague are using the latest version of Excel. Updates can sometimes improve collaboration features.
9. Internet Connection: • Ensure that both you and your colleague have a stable internet connection. A slow or intermittent connection can affect real-time collaboration.

By following these steps and ensuring that the document is properly set up for real-time collaboration, you should be able to see your colleague's changes as they make them in the Excel document.

Best Regards, IBHADIGHI