The fastest way to share an Excel sheet
The fastest way to share an Excel sheet is to save it to OneDrive or SharePoint, then send the link to the people you want to work with it. This takes about two minutes and lets multiple people edit the same file at the same time without creating conflicting copies.
If you save to OneDrive (Microsoft's cloud storage), you can right-click the file, select Share, type in email addresses, and choose whether people can edit or only view. Excel automatically notifies them and they can open it in a browser or the desktop app. SharePoint works the same way but is typically used by organizations rather than individuals.
The alternative is to email the file as an attachment, but this creates problems: only one person can edit it at a time, changes get lost when two people save different versions, and you end up with files named "Final_v2_REAL_Final.xlsx" in your inbox.
Key Takeaways
- Saving to OneDrive or SharePoint and sharing the link is faster and safer than emailing the file, because everyone works on one version instead of creating conflicting copies.
- You can set permissions so some people can only view the sheet while others can edit it, and you can change permissions later without resending anything.
- Real-time collaboration means you can see other people's changes as they type, and Excel tracks who made each change.
- If you do email the file, turn on Share Workbook in the Review tab so multiple people can edit it at once, though this is less reliable than cloud sharing.
Setting up OneDrive sharing step by step
Open your Excel file and save it to OneDrive. In Excel on Windows or Mac, go to File > Save As, then choose OneDrive from the list on the left. Pick a folder and give the file a clear name, then click Save. If you are already working in a file stored on OneDrive, you can skip this step.
Once the file is saved to OneDrive, click the Share button in the top right corner of Excel. A panel opens on the right side. Type the email addresses of the people you want to share with, separated by semicolons if there are multiple people. Below the email field, you will see two options: Can edit and Can view. Choose which permission level each person gets, then click Share.
Excel sends them an email with a link to the file. They can click it and start working immediately. You will see their names in the top right corner of Excel when they are viewing or editing the sheet, and you can click their name to see what cell they are working in.
Sharing with a link instead of email addresses
If you want to share with a group of people or do not have everyone's email address yet, you can create a shareable link instead. In the Share panel, look for Copy link at the top. Click it, choose whether the link allows editing or viewing only, then paste the link into an email, chat message, or document.
Anyone with the link can open the file without needing to sign in with a Microsoft account, though they will see a prompt to sign in if they want to edit. You can change the link permissions later by going back to Share > Manage access and adjusting the settings. You can also turn off the link entirely if you want to stop sharing with people who have it.
Controlling who can do what with permissions
Excel gives you three permission levels: Can edit means the person can change the sheet, add rows and columns, and delete content. Can view means they can open and read the sheet but cannot change anything. Can view with download (available on some plans) lets them download a copy but not edit the original.
You can give different permissions to different people. For example, you might let your team members edit a budget sheet but only let your manager view it. To change someone's permission after sharing, click Share again, find their name in the list, click the dropdown next to their name, and select a new permission level. The change takes effect immediately.
If you want to stop sharing with someone, click the dropdown next to their name and select Remove access. They will no longer be able to open the file, even if they have the link.
Sharing through email if you cannot use OneDrive
If your organization does not allow OneDrive or you need to send the file as an attachment, you can still let multiple people edit it at once. Open the file in Excel, go to the Review tab, and click Share Workbook (on Windows) or Protect Sheet > Allow users to edit ranges (on Mac). This turns on simultaneous editing mode.
Save the file and email it to the people who need it. When they open it, they can make changes at the same time you are working on it. Excel will merge the changes when you save. However, this method is less reliable than cloud sharing: if two people change the same cell, Excel will ask you which version to keep, and you might lose work.
After everyone is done editing, turn off Share Workbook to return to normal mode. Save the file one more time to lock in all the changes.
Seeing who changed what and when
If you shared the file on OneDrive, Excel tracks every change automatically. Click the Review tab and select Track Changes > Show Changes. A panel opens showing who edited what and when. You can filter by person, date, or type of change (additions, deletions, formatting). Hover over a highlighted cell to see the exact change that was made.
If you want to undo a specific change, right-click it in the change list and select Reject. If you want to accept all changes, click Accept All Changes. This is useful if someone accidentally deletes important data or makes a change you want to reverse without undoing everyone else's work.
Troubleshooting common sharing problems
If someone says they cannot open the shared file, check that they have the right permission level. Go to Share > Manage access and confirm their name is listed. If the link is set to "view only" but they need to edit, change the permission and send them the updated link.
If changes are not showing up in real time, make sure both people are working in the web version of Excel or the desktop app connected to OneDrive. The desktop app syncs changes every few seconds, but if someone is working offline, their changes will not appear until they reconnect to the internet. You can see if someone is offline by looking at their name in the top right corner — it will say "editing offline" next to it.
If two people try to edit the same cell at the same time, Excel shows both changes and asks you to choose which one to keep. To avoid this, talk to your team about who is working on which part of the sheet, or use Excel's built-in comments feature to leave notes instead of editing directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share an Excel sheet with someone who does not have Microsoft Office?
Yes. They can open and edit the file in Excel Online, which is free and works in any web browser. They do not need to install anything or have a Microsoft account, though they will see a prompt to sign in if they want to edit. If they prefer to use Google Sheets or another program, you can download the file and convert it, but you will lose some Excel features.
What happens if I stop sharing a file but someone still has the link?
If you turn off the link in the Share settings, anyone with the link will see an error message when they try to open it. If you remove a specific person's access, they will no longer be able to open the file even if they have the link. The file itself is not deleted — you still have it in your OneDrive.
Can I share a file with someone outside my organization?
Yes, if you are using OneDrive or SharePoint. Type their email address in the Share panel just like you would for someone inside your organization. They will get an email with a link and can open the file in a browser. Some organizations restrict external sharing, so check with your IT department if you get an error message.
How do I know if someone is currently editing the file?
Look at the top right corner of Excel. You will see the names and profile pictures of everyone viewing or editing the file right now. If you click on someone's name, Excel will show you which cell they are working in and highlight it on your screen.
Can I set an expiration date on a shared link?
On some Microsoft plans, yes. Click Share > Manage access, then look for an option to set when the link expires. On free OneDrive accounts, you can only turn the link off completely — there is no expiration date option. To stop sharing after a certain date, you will need to manually turn off the link when that date arrives.