M-Files also allows for co-authoring, meaning that several users can edit the same document simultaneously. Even a person without an M-Files account can participate in the co-authoring process. This type of co-authoring is possible through Microsoft's OneDrive service.
By modifying the registry settings, co-authoring can be enabled for SharePoint as well. In this case, sharing is performed via SharePoint instead of OneDrive.
Checking out for co-authoring and check-in to M-Files
When you want to share the file for editing in OneDrive, use the Check Out for Co-authoring function. If you want to share a file in a multi-file document for co-authoring, use the Begin Co-authoring function. If you already have checked out a single-file document, you can start co-authoring from this state with the Begin Co-authoring function.
When the file is uploaded to OneDrive for co-authoring, it becomes available to several people.
M-Files displays the following message:
Individual users and user-specific rights cannot be individualized in co-authoring.
M-Files then directs you to enter your Windows Live ID. When you move to OneDrive, you will be presented with verification questions. You can proceed by answering Yes to these. You get a message when the file is ready to be shared via OneDrive and you can send the OneDrive link to other users. Please note that anyone with the link can view and modify the file.
When you perform the Send Link function, M-Files automatically creates an e-mail message that includes the filename and a link to the file in OneDrive.
After making the necessary changes, or if for some other reason you do not want to keep the file in co-authoring mode anymore, return from co-authoring mode so that other M-Files users can check it out for editing in M-Files or OneDrive.
The M-Files user who checks the document out for co-authoring must be the one who checks it in. Other M-Files users cannot check the document in from co-authoring. This M-Files user is responsible for the changes made in the document: the changes made from co-authoring mode are logged against the M-Files user who checked the document out for co-authoring and checked in the new version of the document in M-Files.
You can reject the changes made in co-authoring mode with the Undo Checkout function during check-in.
After checking in of the document in M-Files, it is no longer available in OneDrive. If you want to share the document in co-authoring mode again, check the file out for co-authoring and send a new OneDrive link to the file.
Editing in co-authoring mode
When you have received a link to a file that is in co-authoring mode, you can edit it normally in, for example, Word or PowerPoint.
With the co-authoring mode, you can edit mainly Office files in Microsoft Office 2010 (or later) or by using Office Web Apps. More than one user can, for example, edit the same Word file at the same time in Microsoft Office. A PowerPoint presentation can be edited by several users simultaneously in Microsoft Office's PowerPoint 2010 (or later).
The M-Files functions (for instance adding metadata to the content) are not available during editing in OneDrive.
M-Files users can also take part in co-authoring with the OneDrive link or directly from M-Files. When the object is checked out for co-authoring in M-Files, other M-Files users can also edit it via co-authoring mode in OneDrive or open its latest version in read-only state.