This should then clear the associated temporary file and, therefore, unlock the MS document. Ask the person whose name appears in the warning dialogue, to open the MS document, make a small change to the MS document, File > Save the document, and then close the document.The resolution for this document locking problem would be as follows: Typically this problem is identified when another user attempts to open the MS document, and their MS Office application displays the warning dialogue “The file is locked for editing”, and this is despite anyone else on the same network having the MS document open. The problem with using an associated temporary file is that if the MS Office application crashes then it is likely that the associated temporary file remains and locks the MS Office document. The temporary file is named the same as the Excel document but prefixed with ~$ symbols.
To clarify, if a user has opened an existing or created an Excel document entitled Example.xlsx, while this document is open there will be an associated temporary file entitled ~$Example.xlsx in the same location as your Excel document. This is by-design and prevents other users overwriting your work, or even worse causing document corruption. You can open the document as Read-Only, but you will not be able to edit the document. The associated temporary file also stores the name of the person who currently has the MS document open, and if another user attempts to open the document, it displays a warning dialogue (see below) to inform them that, “The file is locked for editing”. The purpose of this associated temporary file is to lockout editing of your MS document to other users while you have it open. The associated temporary file remains present in the same location as your MS document until you close your document. However, you will not be able to see the associated temporary file from within the Finder because it is a hidden file.
Find some other manner to communicate the password to users other than email if you will be emailing the file.Whenever you save a Microsoft Office document (Word, Excel or PowerPoint) to your local hard drive or to a fileserver, an associated temporary file is created to the same location as your MS Office document. NOTE: Do not send an email with the file and the password in the same email. Save the document and it will no longer require a password to open it. The file is now encrypted and requires this password to open it.ħ. Don't forget to save this password in a secure password manager and securely communicate this to any users or recipients of this file.Ĩ. To reverse this, repeat the steps without entering a password. You are prompted to reenter the same password.Ħ. In the Password to open field, type a password.
Open the MS Excel for Mac file you want to encrypt and password protect.Ģ. To password protect and/or encrypt a document using Microsoft Excel for Mac:ġ.