Is there a way to have one Excel spreadsheet on a server and allow multiple users to access that spreadsheet and make updates on the spreadsheet at the same time? I've tried a shared workbook but the users are getting errors that it's already opened by another user and they can only do "read only". Or it tells them they can use "Notify" to let them know when the other user is finished. However, if they chose notify, it's kicking the other user out and not saving the information they input. I'd appreciate any ideas on how to handle this situation.
Thanks,
Terry
Allow multiple users simultaneously
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Re: Allow multiple users simultaneously
Allow Multiple Users Simultaneously = Recipe for Disaster
Yes... you can do it. I wouldn't recommend it. Unless you don't mind dealing with irrate users who overwrite each others work all the time.
Consider maybe using Access or some sort of DB app that can better manage multiple users accessing and editing records. DB apps have safeguards against users accessing and trying to change the same record at the same time. Excel is just not very good at that.
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Re: Allow multiple users simultaneously
Thank you Aaron. I've been working within Excel all morning trying to make this "multiple user" think work and once I get beyond 4 users everything breaks down. I'll check into what you advise.
Thanks again. -
Re: Allow multiple users simultaneously
Hi T.
You're essentially trying to make a single user object do something it's not designed to do.
To make a multi user scheme really work, you would have to update each change made by the user as it is made, and not when the spreadsheet is closed.
You would also have to implement some form of locking scheme which locks the sheet at a row or column (or even cell) level which could be done using a shared random access file but would slow things down and you would still have the same problem as outlined above.
All in all, you need an application that supports multi-users and record locking at a native level.
As the other posters have said use a proper database (and that doesn't include access if you've more than 10).
Regards
Rich
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Re: Allow multiple users simultaneously
Thank you all for your advise. I'm going to re-think this process and see if I can't find a better way. I've tried the sharing route and as Aaron says, I'm ending up with a lot of irate users and loss data. Thanks again for the quick responses.
Terry
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