Forum Discussion

Copper Contributor

Aug 23, 2023

Cell labelled with my initials

I use Excel spreadsheets for scheduling for my business. Occasionally and randomly a cell will be labelled with a solid blue circle containing my initials in white. I don't know why this happens an...

excel

mtarler

Silver Contributor

Aug 24, 2023

I think what you are seeing is the excel sharing feature to let you know who and where someone else is looking in that workbook. The problem is sometimes excel gets 'confused' and doesn't realize you and you are the same person. Basically it had an open socket to a connection you have/had and presently you are using a new/different socket connection. This could happen because you are on a different computer, browser, or maybe your computer switch from wired to wireless or who knows. If you are logged in elsewhere then closing that other connection can "fix" it or it will just resolve itself.

Monymgr

Copper Contributor

Jul 02, 2024

mtarler Hello I am new to MS-365, since 7/1/24, and have been using MS Office Home & Business 2019 since it came on my HP laptop. I noticed your response about a blue line with around a cell with a blue circle containing my initials from Aug. 2023. I tried your suggestion of closing the secondary file, but the blue cell marker was still appearing after 2 hours. I found another solution, by accident, that may help other new users. I was using my iPad for the secondary view of my spreadsheet, and I guess when I closed the file it didn't close all the way. Once I reopened and clicked on another cell and then closed the worksheet the 2nd view notification went away.

My question as a follow up is how do we make our own devices identify one another? I signed in through MS-365 logo and would think once I entered my credentials it would automatically identify each piece of equipment. Any thoughts?