How to Share an Excel File So Everyone Edits One Copy

Emailing a spreadsheet as an attachment works, right up until three people send back three different versions and you're merging stock counts by hand. Sharing the file from OneDrive or SharePoint fixes that, because everyone opens the same copy. Microsoft calls working in it together co-authoring, and once it's set up you'll see each other's changes within seconds.

Sharing a workbook from Excel

1. Save the workbook to OneDrive, OneDrive for Business or a SharePoint Online library. Microsoft says the file has to live in one of those for co-authoring.
2. Select Share in the top-right corner of Excel.
3. Choose the permission: can edit, or can view only. Microsoft says recipients can edit by default, so change it if you only want them to look.
4. Type the email addresses of the people you're sharing with.
5. Add a short message if you like, then select Send.

Each person gets an email with a link. Microsoft notes it may open in Excel for the web, and they can switch to the desktop app if they prefer. If they use a recent version of Excel, they can also find it under File, Open, Shared with Me.

Edit or view: picking the right access

Who you're sharing with	Access I'd give	Why
Your team updating an orders log	Can edit	Everyone works in the same file
A client checking a delivery schedule	Can view	They see it but can't change it
A freelancer filling in one tab	Can edit	They need to type, so protect the other tabs
Someone who needs a quick look	A copied link, view only	Fast and low risk

Sending a link instead of an invite

If you'd rather paste the link into a message yourself, Microsoft says to select Share, then Copy link, instead of adding people. Check the link settings before you copy, so you know whether anyone who gets the link can edit.

What you need for everyone to edit at once

Here's the catch that causes most sharing headaches. Real-time co-authoring has requirements, and Microsoft lists them:

• A Microsoft 365 account, signed in, and a current version of Excel for Microsoft 365.
• The file saved as .xlsx, .xlsm or .xlsb. Microsoft says co-authoring doesn't support the Strict Open XML Spreadsheet format, and older formats need saving as a copy first.
• The file stored on OneDrive or SharePoint Online. Microsoft says SharePoint sites that aren't hosted by Microsoft don't support co-authoring.
• AutoSave switched on, in the top-left corner.

You'll know it's working when you see other people's pictures or initials in the top-right of the window.

Why someone sees a File is locked message

Microsoft says the most common reason is that one person has opened the workbook in a version of Excel that doesn't support co-authoring. When that happens, everyone else can get the locked message, even if their own Excel is up to date. Ask whoever has it open in an older version to close it, or to use Excel for the web instead. Versions that do support it include Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac, Excel for the web, and Excel on Android and iOS.

Going back to an earlier version

With several people editing, mistakes happen. Someone sorts one column on its own and the order quantities no longer match the clients. Microsoft's fix is File, Info, Version History, where you can open an older version and restore it. Microsoft suggests waiting until nobody else is co-authoring before you restore.

Before you share: a quick tidy-up

• Remove or move tabs with private notes, because anyone with access can see every tab.
• Rename tabs plainly so people find their way round.
• Freeze the header row so column names stay visible as people scroll.
• Check formulas still work; my guide to dividing in Excel covers a common error that shows up when someone clears a cell.

If you're sharing a template with someone outside the business, fill it with made-up rows rather than real clients. If the file holds anything sensitive, my guide to password protecting an Excel file adds an extra layer before you share it.

Stopping sharing later

Projects end and freelancers move on, so it's worth reviewing who can open your files now and then. Open the Share options on the workbook and check the list of people with access; remove anyone who no longer needs it, or change their permission to view only. I do this whenever a contract finishes, because a forgotten edit link to an orders log is the kind of loose end that's easy to miss and awkward to explain later.

What I'd do

Keep shared workbooks in OneDrive or SharePoint, use Share rather than email attachments, and give view-only access unless someone needs to type. If anyone gets a locked message, check which version of Excel the others are using before anything else. One shared file beats five attached copies every time.

Frequently asked questions

How do I share an Excel file so others can edit it?

Save it to OneDrive or SharePoint, select Share, keep the edit permission, add people and select Send.

Can I share an Excel file as view only?

Yes. Change the permission to view only when you share, so people can see it but not change it.

Why can't two people edit an Excel file at once?

Co-authoring needs the file on OneDrive or SharePoint Online, a supported file format and supported versions of Excel for everyone.

Why does Excel say the file is locked?

Usually someone has it open in a version of Excel that doesn't support co-authoring.

How do I undo someone else's changes in a shared workbook?

Go to File, Info, Version History, open an earlier version and restore it.