Excel will not save changes made to a file.

The issue you're encountering with Excel not saving changes and the error message regarding merging changes typically arises from conflicts when multiple users are trying to edit a shared file simultaneously. Here are some steps you can take to resolve this issue:

1. Check Permissions: Ensure that all users have the necessary permissions to edit the file in Dropbox. If someone only has read permissions, they won't be able to save changes.
2. File Locking: When a file is opened for editing by one user, it may be locked for others. Make sure that the file is not being edited by someone else at the same time. You can check the file's status in Dropbox to see if it is currently open by another user.
3. Save As a New File: If the supervisors are unable to save changes, they can try using the "Save As" function to save the file under a new name. This can sometimes bypass the merging issue.
4. Use Excel Online: If possible, consider using Excel Online for collaborative editing. This can help avoid conflicts as it allows multiple users to edit the file simultaneously without the merging issue.
5. Check for Updates: Ensure that the Excel app on the iPads is updated to the latest version. Sometimes, bugs in older versions can cause issues with file saving.
6. Temporary Files: If the problem persists, check for any temporary files that may be causing conflicts. Sometimes, Excel creates temporary files that can interfere with saving.
7. Antivirus Software: If antivirus software is running on the iPads, it may interfere with the saving process. Temporarily disabling it can help identify if it's causing the issue.

By following these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot and resolve the issue with saving changes in the shared Excel file.

References:

• Troubleshoot why Excel doesn't save changes

How do I check permissions?

Dear @Nour Weatherspoon,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on your description, Excel on iPads cannot save changes to a shared Dropbox file because it shows “Your file wasn’t uploaded; cannot merge changes by another user.” You want your supervisors can edit timesheets without conflicts.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

Move the timesheet file from Dropbox to OneDrive for Business or SharePoint, which supports real-time co-authoring in Excel across iPad and desktop. Then:

1. Save the file as .xlsx in OneDrive/SharePoint from your desktop Excel.
2. Ensure supervisors open the file directly in Excel for iOS (not via Dropbox app) and sign in with their company account.
3. Turn AutoSave ON in Excel on all devices.
4. Remove any workbook protection and disable legacy “Shared Workbook” features.
5. Use distinct tabs or row ranges for each supervisor to minimize conflicts.

If you must remain on Dropbox (not recommended)

Dropbox doesn’t support Excel’s real‑time co‑authoring, so you’ll need a serial‑edit process to avoid collisions:

• Give each supervisor a separate file (e.g., “Timesheet - Alice.xlsx”, “Timesheet - Bob.xlsx”) and merge centrally later.
• Or enforce a check‑out/check‑in rule: one person edits at a time; others view read‑only.
• On iPad, make sure they open the file in Excel (not preview), wait for sync to complete before closing, and avoid editing offline copies.
• Expect occasional “can’t merge changes” messages if two people edit at once, that’s a platform limitation.

I hope information above helpful, if you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out.

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