Microsoft KB Archive/269860

= How to use shared workbooks with different versions of Excel =

Article ID: 269860

Article Last Modified on 1/11/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office Excel 2007
 * Microsoft Office Excel 2003
 * Microsoft Excel 2002 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q269860





SUMMARY
This step-by-step article explains how to share a Microsoft Excel workbook with other users.

If you want several users to work in the same Excel workbook simultaneously, you can save the workbook as a shared workbook. Users can then enter data, insert rows and columns, add and change formulas, and change formatting.

Note It is not possible to open shared workbooks that are created in Microsoft Excel 95 in later versions of Excel and still maintain their shared status.

Set up a shared workbook
To make changes to a shared workbook that was created in Microsoft Excel 97 or a later version of Excel, you must use Excel 97 or a later version of Excel.

Specifically, even if a shared workbook that was created in Excel 97 or a later version of Excel is saved as an Excel 95 workbook, the workbook cannot be shared. If a workbook that was created in Excel 95 is shared, it is a read-only workbook when it is opened in Excel 97 or a later version of Excel.

To set up a shared workbook, follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Excel that you are running.

Microsoft Office Excel 2007

 * 1) Click the Review tab.
 * 2) Click Share Workbook in the Changes group.
 * 3) On the Editing tab, click to select the Allow changes by more than one user at the same time. This also allows workbook merging check box, and then click OK.
 * 4) In the Save As dialog box, save the shared workbook on a network location where other users can gain access to it.

Microsoft Office Excel 2003 and earlier versions of Excel

 * 1) On the Tools menu, click Share Workbook, and then click the Editing tab.
 * 2) Click to select the Allow changes by more than one user at the same time check box, and then click OK.
 * 3) Save the workbook when you are prompted.
 * 4) On the File menu, click Save As, and then save the shared workbook on a network location where other users can gain access to it.



MORE INFORMATION
For more information about how to share workbooks, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

129276 You receive a &quot;This file is locked&quot; error message when you try to save or close a shared file

212072 Shared workbook lists multiple users

Additional query words: XL2000 XL 2003 XL2002 XL97 XL2007

Keywords: kbexpertisebeginner kbhowtomaster KB269860

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