Read-Only

[Alex Mackenzie]

I prepare various Word documents that are saved in a network folder so that
"everyone" can read them. I am set up with all permissions except Full
Control; "everyone" is set up without Full Control and without Write
permission. When someone in the "everyone" group is reading one of the
documents, if I open it as well it comes up as Read-Only. Sometimes I need
to make changes to the document but I cannot because someone is in it, so I
have to wait. Is there a way to set up the document so that I can always
work on it? Something similar to the share workbook functionality in Excel?
Thank you.

 

[Jay Freedman]

I prepare various Word documents that are saved in a network folder
so that "everyone" can read them. I am set up with all permissions
except Full Control; "everyone" is set up without Full Control and
without Write permission. When someone in the "everyone" group is
reading one of the documents, if I open it as well it comes up as
Read-Only. Sometimes I need to make changes to the document but I
cannot because someone is in it, so I have to wait. Is there a way
to set up the document so that I can always work on it? Something
similar to the share workbook functionality in Excel? Thank you.

No, there isn't. Word just isn't that sophisticated when it comes to
multiple simultaneous access.

When any user opens a Word document, even if they can only do so in
Read-Only mode, Word creates an "owner file" in the folder (see the
description halfway down in http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=211632).
Everyone else who tries to open the same file gets a Read-Only copy. Word
doesn't try to analyze who has what rights at the operating system level.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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[sherryelaine6]

We keep our raw documents in a different directory and publish a PDF copy of
the doucment for readers. This way the administrator can make changes to
document and republish the updates as PDFs to the shared directory.