Merge copies of a shared workbook

Important: This article explains an older method of merging copies of a "Shared Workbook" – an older feature that allows you to collaborate with multiple people. This feature has many limitations, and has been replaced by co-authoring. Co-authoring is much better at merging changes, and is available in certain versions of Excel, including Excel for Microsoft 365 subscribers.

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Important: Be certain that you want to use this method before continuing. Shared Workbooks have limitations, and one in particular is the inability to edit using Excel for the web. Therefore we highly recommend co-authoring, which is the replacement for Shared Workbooks.

1. Click the Review tab, and see if the Share Workbook button is visible. If it isn't visible, you'll need to unhide it. You'll also need to unhide the Compare and Merge Workbooks button. This article explains how to unhide these buttons.

2. On the Review tab or on the Quick Access Toolbar, click Share Workbook .

3. Click Allow changes by more than one user...

4. Now ask other people to open the file, and save a copy of it with a unique file name that differs from the original's name. Also tell them to put their copies in the same folder as the original workbook.

5. Tell them to make changes to their copy, and save.

   Notes: 

   • You can only merge a workbook with copies made from the original.

   • You can't merge a workbook that hasn't had the Allow changes by more than one user... setting turned on.

6. Open the original Shared Workbook into which you want to merge changes.

7. On the Quick Access Toolbar, click Compare and Merge Workbooks .

8. If prompted, save the workbook.

9. In the Select Files to Merge into Current Workbook dialog box, click the copy of the workbook that contains the changes you want to merge. To merge multiple copies at the same time, hold down Ctrl or Shift and click the file names, then click OK.

Important: Be certain that you want to use this method before continuing. Shared Workbooks have limitations, and therefore we highly recommend co-authoring instead.

1. On the Review tab, click Share Workbook.

2. On the Editing tab, click Allow changes by more than one user...

3. Now ask other people to open the file, and save a copy of it with a unique file name that differs from the original's name. Also tell them to put their copies in the same folder as the original workbook.

4. Tell them to make changes to their copy, and save.

   Notes: 

   • You can only merge a workbook with copies made from the original.

   • You can't merge a workbook that hasn't had the Allow changes by more than one user... setting turned on.

5. Open the original Shared Workbook into which you want to merge changes.

6. Click the Tools menu and then select Merge Workbooks….

7. If prompted, save the workbook.

   In the file navigation dialog box, click the copy of the workbook that contains the changes you want to merge, then click OK.

See Also

Collaborate with others on a workbook with co-authoring