SOLVED

Files locked for editing - is there a concise explanation?

Brass Contributor

There is a shared spreadsheet saved on SharePoint Online. There are a couple of dozen people who have access to it. Coauthoring is allowed. One person downloaded a copy of the spreadsheet to her desktop and then left the file open while she went to a meeting. Other users were then getting the "file locked for editing" message. I checked the file saved on SharePoint and it was not Checked Out. I couldn't figure out a way around the issue. Based on what I've read reading other people's questions, I believe it would have eventually timed out. But I am confused about why/how it became locked for editing in the first place. I have yet to find a concise explanation of the issue.   

2 Replies
best response confirmed by 0123456789 (Brass Contributor)
Solution

Hi @0123456789,

 

Here is a list of possible reasons for Excel file being locked. https://support.microsoft.com/en-ie/office/excel-file-is-locked-for-editing-by-another-user-6fa93887...

 

So it could be incorrect Office version, incorrect file version or even some feature in Excel, which is not supporting co-authoring. 

1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by 0123456789 (Brass Contributor)
Solution

Hi @0123456789,

 

Here is a list of possible reasons for Excel file being locked. https://support.microsoft.com/en-ie/office/excel-file-is-locked-for-editing-by-another-user-6fa93887...

 

So it could be incorrect Office version, incorrect file version or even some feature in Excel, which is not supporting co-authoring. 

View solution in original post