Excel documents with locked cells and data validation stored in SharePoint and edited in Excel by view-only users

Question

I would appreciate help with the following situation:

In a team SharePoint site, we have Excel documents that users have permission to view but not update in SharePoint.  Then they are able to open them in Excel and then make changes to the document with a new name in a shared drive.  The purpose is to keep users from accidentally overlaying the original master SharePoint Excel document.  This is working fine. 

Where we are running into a snag is when we have Excel documents with locked cells and cells with drop down lists or data validation.  Our users with SharePoint view only access aren't able to open the Excel document at all to enable them to make changes and save the doc with a different name in our shared drive.

Is there a way we can allow users the ability to open these as view-only in SharePoint, and then make updates when in Excel so they can be saved elsewhere?

Thanks!

Answer 1

 

Hi,

Actually, if the workbook contains some features, such as data validation, it cannot be opened in browser. We need to open it in the Excel client program.

Users with View only permissions cannot view the content using Client side application like Excel. Like they can view only Server side rendering items. It allows Users to View items in lists, documents in document libraries, and view Web discussion comments. Open Items and View the source of documents with server-side file handlers.

So, if the data validation and other features are included, uses are unable to open and view the Excel file in browser or the Excel program. As a workaround, we can give them read permission to the Excel file.

Best Regards,

Sally Tang

Answer 2

Hi Sally,

Your suggestion worked perfectly.  Thanks so much for your help!

Audra

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Audra Nanni