Sharing files in Word

[APPLENEWBIE]

Problem:

I have two computers, networked. Files are located on computer 1.
Secretary can access and change those files on computer 2.

I open word DOCUMENT on computer 1. type in some changes. move on to something else, without closing the document OR SAVING.

Secretary at same time working in same file, making changes. she SAVES her changes and goes to lunch.

I come back to the document a little later, make a couple changes and SAVE AND CLOSE FILE.

ISSUE: when I reopen, the changes made by secretary are gone.

Any suggestions? is there a way to make it so only one computer can have a file open at any one time? Other?

 

[CanadaRAM]

I'm not 100% positive, but I suspect that one or the other of you are getting a message that "the file is in use, do you want to open a copy", and you are saying "yes" Then when you are saving, you're doing a Save As.. , your copy is overwriting theirs.

This is bad workflow. Although theoretically the application should refuse to open an already-open document, that is being circumvented.

You need to get together a sign-out system, or a system of renaming every change with a unique name, so that this doesn't happen. Also, you need to save your documents and quit out of them and not leave them open.

 

[APPLENEWBIE]

but I suspect that one or the other of you are getting a message that "the file is in use, do you want to open a copy", and you are saying "yes" Then when you are saving, you're doing a Save As.. , your copy is overwriting theirs.

This is bad workflow. Although theoretically the application should refuse to open an already-open document, that is being circumvented.

You need to get together a sign-out system, or a system of renaming every change with a unique name, so that this doesn't happen. Also, you need to save your documents and quit out of them and not leave them open.[/QUOTE]


Nope. No such message. When I used word in Windows (before switching to mac) I did see those messages... Hmmmm.... any other ideas?

 

[APPLENEWBIE]

but I suspect that one or the other of you are getting a message that "the file is in use, do you want to open a copy", and you are saying "yes" Then when you are saving, you're doing a Save As.. , your copy is overwriting theirs.

This is bad workflow. Although theoretically the application should refuse to open an already-open document, that is being circumvented.

You need to get together a sign-out system, or a system of renaming every change with a unique name, so that this doesn't happen. Also, you need to save your documents and quit out of them and not leave them open.

Nope. No such message. When I used word in Windows (before switching to mac) I did see those messages... Hmmmm.... any other ideas?[/QUOTE]




but thanks for the ideas!