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How to Use Excel Co-Authoring on a Network Drive
Question details
The user wants to enable co-authoring for an Excel workbook stored on a local network drive instead of using cloud storage like OneDrive or SharePoint.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Collaborating on spreadsheets saved to a shared local network drive or server among multiple users.
- Observed behavior
- Modern co-authoring requires cloud storage, meaning users must rely on the legacy Shared Workbook feature when working from a network share.
Ensure that all users who need to edit the file have read and write permissions to the specific network folder where the workbook is stored.
Enable the Legacy Shared Workbook Feature
Since modern co-authoring requires cloud storage, you must use Excel's legacy sharing feature to collaborate on a local network drive.
Modern Excel co-authoring is natively designed for OneDrive or SharePoint. To collaborate on a local network share, you must use the older 'Shared Workbook' feature.
Be aware that this legacy feature has strict limitations, such as not supporting Excel for the web and disabling certain complex tools like Data Validation or Pivot Tables.
Place the Excel workbook in a shared network location, such as \\server_name\folder_name, making sure it is accessible to all collaborators.
If the Shared Workbook button is hidden, go to File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar. Choose 'All Commands' from the drop-down, find 'Share Workbook (Legacy)', and add it to your toolbar.
Open the workbook, navigate to the Review tab, and select 'Share Workbook' (or click the Quick Access button you just added). Check the box for 'Allow changes by more than one user at the same time'.
Navigate to the Advanced tab in the dialog box to configure tracking and update options, then click OK and save the file to apply the network sharing.
Collaborate Seamlessly with WPS Office
If Excel's legacy network sharing features are causing version conflicts or lack modern collaboration tools, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible spreadsheet editor with seamless modern cloud sharing, completely free of charge.
- 1. Download and install: Get WPS Office from the official website and install it on your device in seconds.
- 2. Open your Excel files: Directly open your existing .xlsx or .xls files with full formatting retention.
- 3. Share and collaborate: Use built-in tools to share links and edit spreadsheets seamlessly with your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'Share Workbook' button missing from the Review tab?
In newer versions of Microsoft 365, Excel hides the legacy 'Share Workbook' feature by default to encourage modern cloud-based co-authoring. You can restore it by going to File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar, selecting 'All Commands', and adding 'Share Workbook (Legacy)'.
Can I use real-time co-authoring on a local network drive?
No, true real-time co-authoring where you can see others' cursors typing live requires the file to be hosted on Microsoft OneDrive or SharePoint. Network drives only support the legacy Shared Workbook feature, which requires users to save the file manually to sync changes.
What Excel features are disabled when using a legacy Shared Workbook?
When using the legacy Shared Workbook feature, several advanced functionalities are disabled. These include creating Excel tables, inserting pivot tables, adding data validation rules, writing macros, and working with XML maps. You must unshare the workbook to utilize these features.
