Use shared workbooks with different versions of Excel

Summary

This step-by-step article explains how to share a Microsoft Excel workbook with other users.

If you want several users to work in the same Excel workbook simultaneously, you can save the workbook as a shared workbook. Users can then enter data, insert rows and columns, add and change formulas, and change formatting.

Set up a shared workbook

To make changes to a shared workbook that was created in Microsoft Excel 97 or a later version of Excel, you must use Excel 97 or a later version of Excel.

Specifically, even if a shared workbook that was created in Excel 97 or a later version of Excel is saved as an Excel 95 workbook, the workbook cannot be shared. If a workbook that was created in Excel 95 is shared, it is a read-only workbook when it is opened in Excel 97 or a later version of Excel.

To set up a shared workbook, follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Excel that you are running.

Microsoft Office Excel 2007

1. Click the Review tab.
2. Click Share Workbook in the Changes group.
3. On the Editing tab, click to select the Allow changes by more than one user at the same time. This also allows workbook merging check box, and then click OK.
4. In the Save As dialog box, save the shared workbook on a network location where other users can gain access to it.

Microsoft Office Excel 2003 and earlier versions of Excel

1. On the Tools menu, click Share Workbook, and then click the Editing tab.
2. Click to select the Allow changes by more than one user at the same time check box, and then click OK.
3. Save the workbook when you are prompted.
4. On the File menu, click Save As, and then save the shared workbook on a network location where other users can gain access to it.