Shared workbook user name list not updating

[Guest]

We have an issue with a shared excel workbook. Basically, when a user exits
the spreadsheet, their name is sometimes left in the list of users who are
accessing the worksheet. Does anyone know why this happens, and if so, how
to stop it? Thanks

 

[David Benson]

Jo,

When I have seen this, the name has remained in the list because the user
shut Excel down abnormally. Usually, the user had used Task Manager to
abort Excel, or they thought their workstation had "frozen" and they just
rebooted.

I don't know how to prevent this, but you can open the file from time to
time and clean out the names -- just highlight each name and press <DELETE>.
You will get a threatening message to the effect that the user may loose all
their work. However, unless the user actually has the workbook open at the
time you delete their name, nothing happens. Just to be safe, I only delete
user's names when they are shown as having opened the workbook some time
prior to today. If a user's name is listed twice (which happens sometimes),
I feel safe in delete the instance associated with the earlier time.

-- David

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply - it backed up what I thought.
The problem is also summarised in Q article 212072
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;212072