Rafiul Haq
We often need to share Excel files Online. In this article, we will show you 2 practical examples of how to share an Excel file Online. Sometimes we share our Excel files for the convenience of our business or official work. That’s why multiple users can modify the Excel file simultaneously.
Excel Online has eliminated the requirement for complicated HTML code when exporting tables to the web. Simply save your workbook online so that you can literally view it from anywhere, share it with other people, and collaborate on the same sheet. With Excel Online, you can also quickly embed your worksheet on a website or blog so that visitors can interact with it and get the details they need.
We’ve selected a dataset that represents the salary statement of a particular month. Our dataset contains 5 columns: Employee Name, Employee ID, Department, Email, and Salary. Look at the GIF file below to understand the article easily.
Download Practice Workbook
Download this practice workbook for practice while you are reading this article.
We have a dataset that contains the salary statement for a particular month of the XYZ company. We will share Excel files online for the convenience of our work using the Share feature and Google Drive.
In this example, we will use the Share feature from Ribbon to Share Excel files online. Let’s follow the instructions below to learn!
- Select Share from the Ribbon. We can also do this from the File tab >> Select Share option.
- As a result, the Share dialog box will appear. Hence, select OneDrive.
- Here, you can choose to send the file via email directly from the option “Attach a copy instead” below.
Then, if not already logged in, you need to log in to your account.
After that, another dialog box will appear.
- Thirdly, we can choose to share with everyone with the link or specific people.
- Then, we can make the file editable or viewable
- After that, press Copy.
Another dialog box saying “Our link is copied to the clipboard” will appear.
Moreover, by clicking on “Anyone with the link can edit “ we can bring more options.
- Then, we can add a password and expiration date to our file.
- Finally, press Apply.
Finally, If specific people are not defined, then we can share this link using social networks, Email, and other means.
Thus, we’ve shared our Excel file Online.
Read More: How to Enable Share Workbook in Excel
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Last but not least, we’re going to track changes and Share the Excel file Online using Google Drive. We’ll use Legacy Features to enable track changes here. Go through the following steps for the full procedure.
- We’re going to customize the Ribbon here >> Press ALT, F, and then T to bring up the Excel Options window >> Choose Customize Ribbon feature >> Under the Review tab select New Group.
- Now, select the New Group (Custom) option >> Click on the Rename button >> Type Track (Legacy) in the Display name typing box from the Rename dialog box >> Press OK.
- Now we’ll add Commands to our created sub-tab >> keep the selection on Track (Legacy) (Custom) >> Select All Commands from the Choose commands from: drop-down box >> Scroll down to find “Compare and Merge Workbooks…” and select it >> Press Add.
- Similarly, we’ll add these three more Commands –
- Protect Sharing (Legacy).
- Share Workbook (Legacy).
- Track Changes (Legacy).
- Finally, press OK.
Here, we’ll track changes in our file.
- Firstly, from the Review tab >> Track Changes (Legacy) >> select “Highlight Changes…”.
- Now a dialog box named Highlight Changes will appear >> Check the “Track changes while editing. This also shares your workbook.” option >> From “Highlight which changes” select –
- When: All.
- Who: Everyone.
- After that, press OK.
- Moreover, we can add protection to our dataset >> From the Review tab >> Select Protect Shared Workbook (Legacy) from the Track (Legacy) group >> Another dialog box named Protect Shared Workbook will appear >> Check the Sharing with track changes (This will keep the changes history in the file.) >> Press OK.
Thus, we’ve prepared our Workbook to keep track of the changes. Then, we’re going to share this file via Google Drive.
- Firstly, go to the Google Drive website >> drag the file into the desired location inside our drive.
- Now, press Right-Click on the file and click on Share option.
- Then, we can add people using an Email ID.
- Or, we can choose to share it with everyone with the link.
- After that, press Done.
This link will open the file inside Google Sheets. This file needs to be downloaded and edited using Excel. Else, some features will be dropped from the file. Therefore, to avoid this issue, we can use OneDrive.
Read More: How to See Who Is in a Shared Excel File (With Quick Steps)
To restrict editing rights for specific cells, rows, or columns in your Excel document on OneDrive, when sharing it with multiple individuals, you can selectively grant editing permissions to your team members. Let’s follow the instructions below to learn!
- Select the Review tab >> Choose the Allow Edit Ranges from the Protect group.
- Now, select the New option from the Allow Users to Edit Ranges dialog box.
- As a result, a New Range dialog box pops up. From that dialog box, type Edit Ranges in the Title box >> Insert the cells range A1:G25 in the Refers to cells drop-down box >> Insert a password in the Range password typing box >> Press OK.
- After that, insert the same password in the Reenter password to proceed box >> Press OK.
- Hence, hit the OK option again in the Allow Users to Edit Ranges dialog box.
- Now upload the protected sheet to OneDrive and the users can edit only the allowed cells(A1:G25), rows(1 to 25), or columns(A to G).
In this section, we will learn how to add/edit/delete a comment in the shared Excel file online. From our dataset, we can easily do that using the Comments group from the Review tab. Let’s follow the instructions below to learn!
Insert Comment:
- Select a cell where you want to insert a comment. From our dataset, we will select cell B5 >> Go to the Review tab >> Select New Comment feature from the Comments group >> Type a comment in the typing box.
- Now, press the Ctrl + Enter keys to post the comment.
Edit Comment:
To Edit a comment simply press the cell where the comment is posted. Hence click on the Edit symbol to edit the comment.
Delete Comment:
You can also delete a comment using the Delete feature from the Review tab. To delete a comment, firstly, select the cell where the comment is posted. Hence, Go to the Review tab >> Select Delete feature from the Comments group.
Finally, you will be able to delete a comment from your worksheet.
Things to Remember
- If the Workbook contains tables then our Track Changes will not work. We need to convert all tables into a range.
- If you upload to Google Drive, then the intended person should download the file and edit it with Excel. Else, it will lose some features.
- We’re using Office 365, depending on your version, some options may not be available.
- You will not be able to Track Changes and Co-Authoring at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I limit editing rights to certain cells, rows, or columns when sharing an Excel file online?
Answer: Depending on the cloud storage platform you are using, the steps may vary slightly. However, generally, you can accomplish this by opening the Excel file online, selecting the cells, rows, or columns you want to restrict, and adjusting the permissions or sharing settings accordingly. This allows you to grant specific editing permissions to team members while maintaining restrictions on other areas.
2. Can multiple users collaborate simultaneously on an Excel file shared online?
Answer: Yes, collaborating on an Excel file online enables real-time collaboration, where multiple users can work on the same file simultaneously. This allows for efficient teamwork and eliminates the need for sending file versions back and forth.
3. Can I share an Excel file online without requiring the recipients to sign up for an account?
Answer:: Yes, many cloud storage platforms allow you to generate shareable links that do not require the recipients to sign up for an account. With such links, the recipients can directly access the Excel file and collaborate as per the permissions you have set.
Conclusion
We’ve shown you 2 practical examples of how to Share Excel file Online. Take a tour of the practice workbook and download the file to practice by yourself. Hope you find it useful. Please inform us in the comment section about your experience. If you face any problems, feel free to comment below. We, the ExcelDemy team, are always responsive to your queries. Stay tuned and keep learning.
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