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Excel Question File Share Question

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I have a spreadsheet that contains a list of vehicles that we have in stock. All our sale staff have access to this sheet. We have the sheet locked down so they can only edit certain columns. They have to be able to add information if they have a potential buyer for a certain vehicle but only in a certain column. The rest of the sheet is locked down so they cannot edit anything. Problem being is that now only one person can be in the sheet and editing it at one time. So if someone else needs to get in and edit it they can read only access to the sheet.

Is there any way to get around this so any number of people can access and edit the sheet at the same time?

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by konza

There is a partial yes to this question and a partial no. Certain types of items cannot be changed in a shared workbook, they need to be set in advance. It's been a long time since I had to set one of these up so I'm supplying you with a copy and paste from MS Office website:

Create a workbook you want to make available for multiuser editing, and enter any data you want to provide.

If you want to include any of the following features, add them now: merged cells, conditional formats, data validation, charts, pictures, objects including drawing objects, hyperlinks, scenarios, outlines, subtotals, data tables, PivotTable reports, workbook and worksheet protection, and macros. You can't make changes to these features after you share the workbook.

On the Tools menu, click Share Workbook, and then click the Editing tab.

Select the Allow changes by more than one user at the same time check box, and then click OK.

When prompted, save the workbook.

On the File menu, click Save As, and then save the workbook on a network location accessible to the intended users. Use a shared network folder, not a Web server.

Check any links to other workbooks or documents, and fix any that are broken.

by konza

Now for users who use this workbook, more copy and paste from MS Office website:

Go to the network location where the shared workbook is stored, and open the workbook.

Set the user name to identify your work in the shared workbook: on the Tools menu, click Options, click the General tab, and then type your user name in the User name box.

Enter and edit data as usual. You won't be able to add or change the following: merged cells, conditional formats, data validation, charts, pictures, objects including drawing objects, hyperlinks, scenarios, outlines, subtotals, data tables, PivotTable reports, workbook and worksheet protection, and macros.

Make any filter and print settings you want for your personal use. Each user's settings are saved individually by default.

If you want the filter or print settings made by the original author to be in effect whenever you open the workbook, click Share Workbook on the Tools menu, click the Advanced tab, and under Include in personal view, clear the Print settings or Filter settings check box.

To save your changes to the workbook and see the changes other users have saved since your last save, click Save .

If the Resolve Conflicts dialog box appears, resolve the conflicts.

How?

When two users try to save changes that affect the same cell, Microsoft Excel displays the Resolve Conflicts dialog box for one of the users.

In the Resolve Conflicts dialog box, read the information about each change and the conflicting changes made by others.

To keep your change or the other person's change and go on to the next conflicting change, click Accept Mine or Accept Other.

To keep all of your remaining changes or all of the other users' changes, click Accept All Mine or Accept All Others.

To have your changes to override all other changes, and never see the Resolve Conflicts dialog box again, turn this feature off.

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