Excel 2007 Track Changes Bug Report

[Auntie]

To replicate:
Create and populate an Excel file in Excel 2007
Share the file (Review/Share Wookbook/click "Allow changes...", click OK)
Click on Review/Track Changes/Highlight Changes/Unclick "When"
Click OK

Make some changes to some of the cells on the worksheet.
Highlight one column
Click Data/AZ or Data ZA (not the "sort" button)
Click the "undo" button
The "track changes" are now corrupted, identifying the wrong cells as having
been changed.

Alternately:
After you have made changes to some of the cells:
Highlight 2 or more columns
Click Data/AZ or Data/ZA (not the "sort" button)
The "track changes" are now corrupted, identifying the wrong cells as having
been changed.

Does anyone know if this bug has been identified before?

Thanks.
Auntie



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[Jan Karel Pieterse]

Hi Auntie,

Make some changes to some of the cells on the worksheet.
Highlight one column
Click Data/AZ or Data ZA (not the "sort" button)
Click the "undo" button
The "track changes" are now corrupted, identifying the wrong cells as having
been changed.

Yet another very good reason to avoid sharing workbooks like the plague.
This is just one of many potential problems you may bump into when using shared
workbooks.

My advice (and yes, I'm shouting): DO NOT SHARE WORKBOOKS. PERIOD.

Regards,

Jan Karel Pieterse
Excel MVP
http://www.jkp-ads.com
Member of:
Professional Office Developer Association
www.proofficedev.com

 

[Auntie]

Hi Jan, I don't have a lot of choice. I have 16,000 records in my 200 or so
files, and I desperately have to proofread them. Without track changes, it
becomes a nightmare.

Fortunately, earlier versions of Excel don't seem to have that problem, but
as more and more of my users switch over to Excel 2007, it's gonna get worse
and worse.

What are the chances that MS will fix this in my lifetime?

 

[Jan Karel Pieterse]

Hi Auntie,

Hi Jan, I don't have a lot of choice. I have 16,000 records in my 200 or so
files, and I desperately have to proofread them. Without track changes, it
becomes a nightmare.

That makes perfect sense.

Fortunately, earlier versions of Excel don't seem to have that problem, but
as more and more of my users switch over to Excel 2007, it's gonna get worse
and worse.

What are the chances that MS will fix this in my lifetime?

I think your best bet is to get everyone over to the same Office version as
quickly as you possibly can. Having two different versions is probably the main
reason you are experiencing so much trouble.

Alternatively, if it is the track changes functionality you really need most,
I'd consider hiring someone to custom build a solution for you that tracks
changes using a different method altogether.

Regards,

Jan Karel Pieterse
Excel MVP
http://www.jkp-ads.com
Member of:
Professional Office Developer Association
www.proofficedev.com

 

[Auntie]

Hi Jan,

Thanks for your suggestions. Unfortunately neither will work. I am a half
time employee for a very large volunteer organization that only has 1 other
employee. The Excel files are club membership lists that I prepare once a
year and the volunteer club membership secretaries email them back to me
monthly with their updated membership lists. I'm just happy that most of them
have Excel. Some of them are still handwriting and snail mailing their lists,
so getting them all to upgrade just isn't gonna happen. If we were going to
force them to upgrade, it would be to Access, not Excel. I import the data
into Access for easier manipulation.

As far as hiring someone to create a new system, it just isn't gonna happen.
We don't have the $$.

Do you know if there is any way to file a formal bug report with Microsoft?
I sure couldn't find one. Or is this forum the best chance we have to get
their attention?

Auntie

 

[Jan Karel Pieterse]

Hi Auntie,

As far as hiring someone to create a new system, it just isn't gonna happen.
We don't have the $$.

No promises, but -depending on what organisation this is- I might be able to
help out... You can contact me through my website listed below, email address
is at the bottom of each page.

Do you know if there is any way to file a formal bug report with Microsoft?
I sure couldn't find one. Or is this forum the best chance we have to get
their attention?

This isn't a particularly good place, MSFT does not monitor this site very
well.

Microsoft is well aware how bad the shared workbook feature is. We (being the
MVP's) have told them so a number of times.

Regards,

Jan Karel Pieterse
Excel MVP
http://www.jkp-ads.com
Member of:
Professional Office Developer Association
www.proofficedev.com