How To Share An Excel File

6 min read|Last Updated: February 5th, 2024|Categories: excel|
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Excel 2016 and later versions provide a useful option to share your workbook easily and edit it at the same time by multiple users. This tutorial explains how to share an Excel workbook, step by step.

Use OneDrive to share Excel

OneDrive, which is Microsoft’s cloud product, lets you save your files and collaborate on them with others.

To add an OneDrive place to share your Excel worksheet go to the File tab, click on the Open, Save or Save as (all of these features has this option), click on the Add a place, select OneDrive or OneDrive for Business (OneDrive for Business is a particular paid version), and sign in with your Microsoft account. (according to video 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA6rNQ9w-jI&feature=youtu.be

Video 1- How to add a OneDrive place

To invite your colleague and share the file, click on the Share tab on top  left of the menu tab.

To invite your colleague and share the file, click on the Share tab from the left of the menu tab.
Picture 1- The Share tab

 

Then the Share pane will open on the left side of your worksheet. If you haven’t saved your file on the OneDrive yet, Excel asks you to save and copy your data to an online location by the “Save to cloud” button.

Excel asks you to save and copy your data to an online location by the “Save to cloud” button
Picture 2- The Share pane (save the file to the cloud)

 

By clicking on the Save to Cloud button, you can choose OneDrive to save the file. Select a Location to save the data, enter a name, and press Save.

How to save the Excel file to the OneDrive?
Picture 3- Save the Excel file to the OneDrive

 

If Windows security appears, enter your Microsoft email and password.

If Windows security appears, enter your Microsoft email and password
Picture 4- The Windows Security to enter your credentials

 

How to save the Excel workbook to the OneDrive?
Picture 5- Save a file to the OneDrive

 

Now you can share the file with the people you want. Click on the Share tab again. Enter their email to invite them. You can also let them edit the data or view it only. There is a box to write down a message if you have any. (this is optional.)

Share the Excel workbook by entering others email
Picture 6- Sharing the Excel file

 

Use Share Workbook to Share Excel 2016

Another way to share Excel worksheet is the Share workbook feature. If you don’t want to share your Excel online, use this option from the Review tab on the tools menu.

Use Share Workbook to Share Excel 2016
Picture 7- The Share Workbook option on the Review tab

 

Click on the Share Workbook. Then the Share Workbook dialogue box appears. On the Editing tab, choose the Allow changes checkbox.

How to share Excel workbook and allow users to change it?
Picture 8- the Editing tab from the Share Workbook dialogue box

 

There is an Advanced tab to assess how changes should be handled.

An Advanced tab to assess how changes should be handled
Picture 9- The Advanced tab from the Share Workbook dialogue box

 

Now Excel asks you to save the file. If you do these steps right, [Shared] passage will appear next to the filename.

If you share the Excel file right, [Shared] passage will appear next to the filename
Picture 10- The Shared passage after share file

 

Notice you can’t share the Excel file that contains tables or XML maps by the Share Workbook.

If Excel doesn’t let you share the file, check the trust center setting.

  1. Click on the File from the ribbon.
  2. Choose the Options.
  3. Click on the Trust Center.
  4. Go to the Trust Center Setting.
  5. Click on the Privacy Options and make sure the Remove personal information from file properties on save checkbox is disabled.
If Excel doesn’t let you share the file, check the trust center setting.
Picture 11- Remove personal information from file properties on save checkbox

 

Also, you can protect change tracking with a password. The password must be chosen before sharing the workbook. Entering a password is optional, but if you want to protect the worksheet, it’s better to do it.

So to protect and share workbook follow these steps:

  1. Go to the REVIEW tab from the ribbon.
  2. Click on the Protect and Share Workbook from the Changes group.
  3. Choose the Sharing with track changes checkbox.
  4. Enter a password and press OK. (if you can not enter the password, unshare the workbook, then protect it with a password.)

To unprotect the workbook, click on the Unprotect Shared Workbook.

protect the shared workbook with a password in Exce
Picture 12- Protect and Share Workbook in Excel

 

To unprotect the workbook, click on the Unprotect Shared Workbook.
Picture 13- Unprotect Shared Workbook


 

Shared Excel File Limits

When you share a workbook, some options will be disabled, such as:

  • Hyperlink
  • Subtotal tools
  • Data validation
  • Conditional formatting
  • Merging

Therefore you can enable them before sharing the workbook and use them while you share the file.

Edit the Shared Workbook

If you want to know accurately that who edited the file, ask everyone you shared the data with to do these steps:

  1. Go to the File from the ribbon.
  2. Select the Options.
  3. Select the General from the menu.
  4. Write your name in the User Name box on the Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office.
  5. Press OK.
How to personalize your copy of microsoft office in the Excel?
picture 14- Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office

 

Changes at the Same Time on the Shared Workbook

Sometimes some users edit a specific cell at the same time. Excel will apply the change based on which is saved earlier. So for the last user who is editing that cell, the Resolve Conflicts window will open and they can accept one of the changes.

Also, you can use the Advanced tab from the Share Workbook dialogue box to change the setting for conflicting changes between users.

  1. Go to the REVIEW tab from the ribbon.
  2. Select the Share Workbook.
  3. Click on the Advanced tab.
  4. There are two options for the Conflicting changes between users:
  • Ask me which changes win
  • The changes being saved win
  1. Press OK.
Conflicting changes between users on the Shared Workbook in the Excel
Picture 15- The conflicting changes between users

 

Remove User

If you need to remove someone, go to the REVIEW tab, in the Changes group click on the Share Workbook, on the Editing tab, select the user and press on the Remove User button, then press OK.

Notice that if you want to delete someone, you should change the network setting. Removing users from the Share Workbook dialogue box only removes them from the online workbook, and they can open it again and make changes.

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