Excel 2007 Shared Workbook issues over VPN

[Sako]

Hi everyone,

Th excel 2007 shared workbook feature for multiuser works great if the users are all in the local office, but it does not work at all if they work remotely via VPN.
The issue is that they cannot open any shared workbooks as it will mention that it is currently opened by another user. I checked it very well and even for me it does not work.

Is there a fix to this? I know another forum suggesting checking folder permission issues, but this is not the case for me as I can already edit, create, and delete items. The permissions are fine.
Thank you!

 

[dave3009]

It might be a file permissions issue and not folder related, ask your IT department to see what advice they have.

 

[Sako]

By File permission,

they are all capable of accessing it if they are in the local office so I don't think it is a permission issue at all.

FYI, I am in the IT department.

 

[dave3009]

OK well check the read-only permissions on the workbook. I know file sharing can be tiresomely slow over VPN but blocking users is more than likely down to a file sharing setting then an actual Excel issue.

 

[Sako]

I checked the options and they are fine. I suppose my guess was right and that the VPN doesn't like those shared workbooks.

I'd gladly use the share and merge features, the only problem with that is if many people write on the same rows, the merge will only take the most recent changes instead of adding them all together.

Any one else have VPN issues?

 

[dave3009]

Get each user to right click and choose properties, ask them to see what the read settings are at their end under the security tab. If it's set to 'Deny' then it's a job for you, if they can edit this then great. If the issue persists then post back. I found this article that might be useful..

http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/q...-workbook-giving-read-only-message-when-saved

Hope it helps

 

[Sako]

The read-only checkbox is clear and the users have the edit permissions. Even I as the "owner/creator" have the same issue.

Thanks for your help though.

If anyone else has something to try out, let me know!

 

[dave3009]

Sorry I couldn't be of more help, perhaps it's something to do with the VPN software. Really I'm at a loss, but shared workbooks are temperamental at the best of times without adding in VPN so I wish you the best of luck.