Excel Co-Authoring and Shared Workbook Etiquette Guide
Work together on one file without overwriting each other.
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Write a guide for teams editing Excel workbooks together. How we share files now: [SHARING_METHOD]. Number of editors: [EDITORS]. Problems: [PROBLEMS]. Explain in general terms how co-authoring works [VERIFY for my storage and version], which features do not work with it (some macros, certain old features), how to use comments and notes, and how to restore from version history [VERIFY]. Give ten etiquette rules: agree who edits which sheet; keep inputs, calculations and outputs on separate sheets; never sort a range others are using; do not rename sheets or columns without telling the team; use comments for questions and notes for explanations; save a dated copy before big changes; check who is in the file before restructuring; avoid features that do not work with co-authoring [VERIFY]; review version history after a conflict; and use filters in a personal view rather than sorting. Worked scenario: two people edit the same table, one sorts while the other edits a row, and the data mismatches; prevention is to agree that only one person sorts. Protocol for big changes: announce, copy, rebuild in the copy, test totals, switch at an agreed quiet time, archive the old file. Add a message template announcing a restructure, an end-of-day checklist, a recovery plan for accidental deletion, and a one-page poster of the rules. Treat every feature name and shortcut as unconfirmed until tested in my version [VERIFY].
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