Excel Web App causes .xlsx files to become un-editable on Windows Phone 8

Anonymous
2013-01-30T15:01:33+00:00

I have discovered that if I open/edit a file with the SkyDrive Web App with a PC, the next time I open that file on my WP8 HTC 8x or my wifes Lumia 822, I will receive the message "Can't Edit Workbook".  However if I open the file with the PC desktop then save it to SkyDrive, I will then be able to edit the file with WP8. 

  • Bottom line is, if I edit the document with Excel Web App it will become un-editable with the WP 8.  The result is the same with my HTC 8x and my Lumia 822.

Here's a link to one of the files on my SkyDrive....

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=2041DB813A877186!847&authkey=!AJIZRXBAC8lnIcw

C'mon microsoft, you're supposed to be the big boy on the block when it comes to spread sheets.  Unacceptable that simple excel workbooks can not be edited with WP8 after being edited with the online Web App.  Google doc's doesn't have this problem with my old Android.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2013-05-07T15:54:54+00:00

Hi all –

So there continues to be some confusion on this issue and I want to try and resolve it in one comprehensive response that hopefully covers all sides of this and addresses all your questions. This response will be marked as the new Answerto this thread and the thread will then be locked.  We are happy to address any questions or issues you have but these new questions or comments are best addressed in new issue threads you can create at answers.microsoft.com.  Once again we apologize for any inconvenience this particular issue may have caused you. 

To summarize..the issue is that some of you have been unable to edit workbooks on your phone in Excel for Windows phone after a ‘save’ of the file in Skydrive or Office Web Apps server.  The 'bug' was introduced in Skydrive on Jan 24 and in Sharepoint/ Office Web Apps server as part of the March Public Update.

**If you experience the issue with files in Skydrive:**This issue has been fixed for Skydrive.  Any ‘new’ Excel files created in Excel Web App as of today (or later than February 19, 2013 when we shipped the fix for this) can now be successfully edited in Excel for Windows Phone.  For files that were created or last saved before February 19, you will first need to open those files in Excel Web App (or Excel desktop client), make a change to the file (edit a single cell for instance) and then save the file back to Skydrive for the file to be editable again on the phone.  Excel Web App has ‘autosave’ so simply closing the file is sufficient after making the change. 

**If you experience the issue with files in Sharepoint 2013/Office Web Apps 2013 (on premise deployments)**If you are experiencing the issue described in this thread and it is related to your own (on premise) deployment of Sharepoint and Office Web Apps Server, you can address it by installing a couple updates from the April Public Update.  The specific updates you would need are:

·         Security Update for Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 (KB2737969) 64-Bit Edition

·         Update for Microsoft Office Web Apps Server 2013 (KB2810007)

Please remember that as in the case of Skydrive, you will need to do a 'Save' on the affected file using Excel Web App or Excel desktop client to allow the file to be editable on Excel for mobile phone. 

**If you still cannot edit workbooks on your phone after following above steps:**If you are still having problems editing workbooks on your phone after following these above steps, it is an issue that is (unfortunately) By Design, meaning you are hitting an inherent limitation of the product.  There are some features (‘unsupported features’) that can block an Excel file from being viewed or edited in Excel Web App, and in Excel for Mobile.   These are inherent limitations of these products.  We are working to remove many of these blocking issues..it’s a priority for our teams. But it’s important to understand that these limitations do exist currently.  You won’t unfortunately be able to view or edit 100% of all features in the web app or phone.   

·         For help understanding issues with unsupported features in Excel for Mobile phone:

To know what features may cause your workbook to not be editable in Excel for Windows Phone, please refer to this support article.  Look for the link there that says “Why can’t I edit some Microsoft Office documents on my phone.”  The info there helps identify what features are not supported in the phone and which may cause you to see the “Can’t Edit Workbook” message at the top of the view when viewing on the phone.  

·         For help understandingissues with unsupported features in Excel Web App:

To understand the story around unsupported features that may block viewing or editing in the Excel Web App, please refer to this support article.  Some features such as Sheet Protection can block the file from being opened at all in the browser.  Some features only block editing of the file in the browser. 

Once you understand what features are blocking,  you can then consider whether it is an option for you to remove these features from your workbook. 

Thank you for your feedback and patience while we work through this issue. And thanks for using Excel Web App!

-Rob

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-02-20T02:33:21+00:00

    Hi Rob,

    Happy to report that it now appears resolved.  Opened an affected document in Excel Web App, edited, opened on my WP7.8, downloaded newer version of document, and was able to edit.

    Thanks for fixing this!

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-02-20T03:52:20+00:00

    Works for me too now. Glad to have it fixed. Now don't screw it up again! :p

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-02-20T05:37:19+00:00

    Hi Rob - thanks for all your work in getting this together.

    I've just tried your fix and the file still isn't editable on my Windows Phone.

    I have:

    • Edited the webapp version (changed cell text, added a row etc) allowed it to save and then tried loading updated version with the right time stamp on my phone.
    • Edited the version saved on my PC in my skydrive folder (as above, did other changes, added/removed rows etc) then saved it, loaded the updated version on the phone.
    • Made a new copy of that file in my skydrive folder (called it a different name).

    However, I then made just a new file using excel on my PC, saved it to my skydrive folder, and can access it from my phone and edit it.

    So I'm unsure if this then relates to the (fairly simple) spreadsheet that I already had (and if there is some kind of issue with it), or if it relates to how they were created.

    Nonetheless, thank you again for your help on this, and I look forward to seeing what other peoples experiences are with their existing spreadsheets.

    Cheers,

    Steve

    Hi Steve - Thanks for all the detailed info. Sorry it isn't working for you.  Was this file you are having problems with *ever* editable on the phone? There are some features that if present in the workbook block the file from being editable in mobile Excel. That is the current design of the product.   I am not on the Mobile Excel team and I'm not exactly sure what's in that list of edit blocking features. But if you never edited the file on your Windows phone before then I suspect it may contain one or more of these unsupported features or that you added one since and that this is unfortunately just the current design limitation of the product.   If you were able to edit before on your phone then we should consider further what the issue is.  Can you tell if you ever were able to edit this file on your phone? Also if you create a brand new excel file in Skydrive using the web app (not the desktop client), can you edit that file on your phone?  If the answer to this last question is yes, then at least you are seeing the fix.  Then all we'd need to check is why you can't edit that other file.  An option is, if you don't object, you could send me the file and I could investigate why it isn't editable, or you could tell what features it contains and I could check with the mobile team which of these may be causing the issue.  My email is "rob dot long at live dot com".  Thanks Steve.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-02-20T07:27:06+00:00

    Hi Rob Just picked up fix on my phone . tried straight away all well.....

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