Changes on XLS forms are not regonized when uploaded using Sharepoint

User Support Form Building
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Hi all.
When I edit the XLS forms using Sharepoint and upload it, the changes are not reflected to the form. So a workaround solution was to open the XLS form using Windows application (Excel) rather than the web-based platform.
Its not a major issue but something that I encountered.

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@M.Ayied, thank you for sharing this with the entire community!

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Hi, how could this be explained?
Would you mind to test it again with Sharepoint, please, and describe exactly the steps you do. Could you confirm/check that the (file) changes were stored/saved in Sharepoint.

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@wroos

  1. Open the XLS form in Sharepoint (web-based platform).
  2. Make any changes.
  3. Replace form using upload feature on Kobotoolbox.
  4. When the form is opened, the changes are not reflected.

Regarding the saved changes, Sharepoint has a feature that saves your progress as you go and there is no need to actually save (pressing ctrl+s for example).

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You need to redeploy the form to see/get the new version (on “open”)… Only “preview” will show you the uploaded form version already (before deployment).

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Thanks for guidance.

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Here are a couple of things to consider:

  • File format: SharePoint Online works best with XLSX files (the newer version of Excel spreadsheets). If you’re using an older XLS file, it might cause compatibility issues. Try saving your form as an XLSX file and see if that resolves the problem.
  • Checkout: SharePoint has a checkout feature for files. If someone else has the file checked out for editing, your changes won’t be reflected until they check it back in.
  • Caching: Sometimes your browser might cache the old version of the file. Try clearing your browser cache and then uploading the edited file again and keep the tracker of that.
  • Limited editing features: The web-based version of Excel in SharePoint might have limitations compared to the full Excel application. Some complex formatting or macros might not be editable online.

If none of these solutions work, then using the Excel desktop application as a workaround, like you mentioned, is a reasonable approach.