Checking Out a Document for Co-Authoring via Microsoft SharePoint

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If you are not using Microsoft Office for the web, you can use the co-authoring functionality via Microsoft SharePoint. In co-authoring via Microsoft SharePoint, also a person without an M-Files account can participate in the co-authoring process. For instructions on how to set the co-authoring features to be used via Microsoft SharePoint, see the knowledge base article Customizing Co-Authoring and Sharing Features.

Video: Co-Authoring via Microsoft Office in M-Files

Editing an Office Document in the Co-Authoring Mode via Microsoft SharePoint

You need to have a Microsoft account for co-authoring Office documents. If you do not have one, you can create the account the first time you check out an object for co-authoring.
  1. Locate the object you want to make available for co-authoring in M-Files.
  2. Either:
    • Right-click the object and select Check Out for Co-authoring from the context menu.
      or
    • Right-click the object and select Begin Co-authoring from the context menu if the file is part of a multi-file document or if it is already checked out to you.
    Note: By default, co-authoring is available for DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX files only.
    Result:A security warning is opened about who can view and modify the file during co-authoring.
  3. Click Begin Co-authoring in the Security Warning dialog.
  4. In the Co-authoring dialog, click Send Link to send the shared object link to co-authoring participants via your mail client.
    You can also right-click the object you have checked out for co-authoring and select Send Co-authoring Link... whenever you want to share the co-authoring link to someone.
    Please note that anyone with the link can view and modify the file.
  5. Double-click the object in the listing area to begin co-authoring.
    Result:The document is opened in Microsoft Office for the web.
  6. Click Edit in Browser in the upper right corner to begin editing in the co-authoring mode.
    M-Files functions (such as adding metadata to the content) are not available during co-authoring.
  7. Optional: Click Open in Word (or Open in Excel or Open in PowerPoint) above the Office ribbon to begin co-authoring in the desktop application.
  8. Save your changes if you are using the desktop application.
    Microsoft Office automatically saves your document when you make changes to it.
  9. Close the document.
  10. Right-click the object in M-Files, and select End Co-authoring from the context menu.
  11. Finally, right-click the object again and select Check In to check in the changes.
    The user who checks out the document for co-authoring must be the one who also checks it in. This M-Files user is responsible for the changes made in the document. The changes made during co-authoring are attributed to the user who checked out the document for co-authoring and checked in the new version.
    You can reject the changes made in co-authoring by right-clicking the object and selecting Undo Checkout from the context menu.
The changes made by you and anyone else during co-authoring are saved to M-Files. If you want to share the document for co-authoring again, check out the file for co-authoring and send a new link to the file.

Participating in Co-Authoring via Microsoft SharePoint

When a document has been checked for co-authoring, there are two ways you can take part in co-authoring the document.

  1. Either:
    • If you receive a link to a co-authored document, click the link to open the document in the co-authoring mode.
      or
    • Locate the co-authored document in M-Files and double-click it to open it in the co-authoring mode (a co-authored document is marked with a red cloud on top of its icon) and click Edit (Co-authoring) in the Co-authoring dialog.
  2. Click Edit in Browser in the upper right corner to begin editing in the co-authoring mode.
  3. Optional: Click Open in Word (or Open in Excel or Open in PowerPoint) above the Office ribbon to begin co-authoring in the desktop application.
  4. Save your changes if you are using the desktop application.
    Microsoft Office automatically saves your document when you make changes to it.
  5. Close the document.
The changes you made to the document are saved to M-Files once the user who started the co-authoring has ended the co-authoring and checked in the document.