Share workbook and track changes

Excel 2016 2013 2007 2003
With Excel built-in tools you can easily work together on workbooks and monitor who, when and what changes made. E.g., track project status and tasks.

To share Excel workbook do the following:

   1.   On the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Protect and Share Workbook.

Protect and Share Workbook

   2.   Select the Sharing with track changes check box.

Protect Shared Workbook in Excel 2010

   3.   To require that other users supply a password to turn off the change history, or to remove the workbook from shared use, in the Password (Optional) box, type a password, click OK, and then retype the password to confirm it.

   4.   If prompted, save the workbook.

If the workbook is already shared, and you want to assign a password to protect the sharing, you must unshare the workbook by doing the following:

   1.   Have all other users save and close the shared workbook to avoid losing their work.

   2.   To keep a copy of the change history information that is lost when you unshare a workbook, do the following:

   2.1.   On the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Track Changes, and then click Highlight Changes.

Highlight Changes in Excel 2010

   2.2.   On the Highlight Changes dialog box, select the Track changes while editing. This also shares your workbook.

Highlight Changes dialog in Excel 2010

   2.3.   In the When list, select All.

   2.4.   Clear the Who and Where check boxes.

   2.5.   Select the List changes on a new sheet check box, and then click OK.

You may save or print the current version of the workbook, because this history data might not apply to later versions of the workbook. For example, cell locations, including row numbers, in the copied history may no longer be current.

   3.   In the shared workbook, on the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Share Workbook.

Share Workbook in Excel 2010

   4.   On the Editing tab, make sure that you are the only person listed in the Who has this workbook open now list.

Editing in Excel 2010

   5.   Clear the Allow changes by more than one user at the same time. This also allows workbook merging check box.

Note: If this check box is not available, then you must unprotect the workbook before clearing the check box. Do the following:

   5.1.   Click OK to close the Share Workbook dialog box.

   5.2.   On the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Unprotect Shared Workbook.

   5.3.   If you are prompted, enter the password, and then click OK.

   5.4.   On the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Share Workbook.

   5.5.   On the Editing tab, clear the Allow changes by more than one user at the same time. This also allows workbook merging check box.

   6.   When you are prompted about the effects on other users, click Yes.

Please, disable AdBlock and reload the page to continue

Today, 30% of our visitors use Ad-Block to block ads.We understand your pain with ads, but without ads, we won't be able to provide you with free content soon. If you need our content for work or study, please support our efforts and disable AdBlock for our site. As you will see, we have a lot of helpful information to share.