Child Item

Syncing Microsoft Excel files between PC and Mac

Hi everyone.

Is there a way to sync my Excel files (saved in Dropbox) on the fly between my MacBook and PC?

Like Continuity on Mac - u edit file on one device and synchronously see edits on the another device?

I have my Excel files synced among devices with Dropbox only if I saved them before switching to another machine.

If I forgot to save the excel file on my desktop PC before going to work - I will not be able to access edited version on my macbook till evening when I come from work.

I'm sure I'm doing something wrong and they SHOULD sync on the fly somehow

Find more posts tagged with

Sync

Microsoft Office

Edit

Closed - Partially Delivered

New Ideation Status

Comments

Walter

Hi @Alexander M.29 - sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Just to make sure we're on the same page, can you clarify how exactly you're editing your files in the first place? Is it through the website integration or locally on your devices?

Also, am I correct that you'd like your edits on the Microsoft Excel files synced among your devices without having to save your files at all?

Is the 'auto-save' feature turned on in your Microsoft Excel app(s)?

Let us know more and we'll take it from there.

Alexander M.29

I just save the file in my Dropbox folder and open it on 2 different machines (desktop PC and portable MacBook) in Microsoft Excel 2021.

When I forget to close or save file one of this machines I get a conflict if I edit it on another and save. they become unsynced.

Could you please clarify how to check is autosave is on or off?

On macOS there is a "continuity" function that provides opportunity to continue editing smth on another device right where you stopped on another. No matter if you saved it or not.

Jay

Hi @Alexander M.29, if you've forgotten to save the file on one of your devices, then the Dropbox desktop application wouldn't be able to sync the file, as the app only syncs when changes are detected in the system or files.

The continuity feature you're mentioning is most likely an OS feature, which wouldn't work across different OSes.

The only thing we can recommend is to ensure that you save your files on your machines, in order for them to sync to Dropbox, which will then sync to other devices.

Alexander M.29

What's the point of using a Dropbox at all then? How one can use it then at all if all depends if I saved file manually or not?

Can any files be synced on the fly between tow machines? What' with "Auto Save" function the respondent mentioned above?

I want my WORK synchronized between my machines. No matter how. Just the RESULT matters.

And I DO suspect it can be done with DB - else who would need DB at all?

Jay

This article provides more information on how Dropbox syncs files to and from the site and devices.

This would apply for any file saved in your Dropbox folder. When you edit a file, and then save that file, those changes would be synced to the site, and then to other devices.

It can't detect any changes to unsaved files. If you don't save the file, then it hasn't changed according to Dropbox, so it can't sync an unchanged file.

The Autosave feature is part of Office apps, though it might depend on where the file is saved on your device.

Alexander M.29

I already know all u mentioned above. The question is how to make it work. Do you have a WORKING solution for the Miscrosoft Excel - one of most pouplar app at all - to sync between to machines effotlessly? Could you stop BS'ing me and get to the point, please! Respondent above offered some solution concerning Autosave. Could you please be more specific of let the others answer it?

Jay

These instructions from the Microsoft site should help you to enable the Autosave feature, however, it does look like you need a Microsoft 365 subscription, and the file needs to be saved in the OneDrive folder, so it can't be located in the Dropbox folder.