[Solved] Share spreadsheet on 2 machines, same WiFi network

[Chunksoft]

Good morning everyone

Limited knowledge user but able to follow instructions.

is it possible to share a spreadsheet across two laptops on the same wifi network,

We often update the same sheet and have to send between us it would be nice to be able to share the sheet?

thank you in advance.

[Hagar Delest]

Moved from Calc to General discussion.
It is more a network question, not related to AOO.

Don't you have a shared folder that you can both access? Either on one of the machines or on a 3rd drive.

[Chunksoft]

not at the moment although I do have a WD cloud disk I think I can make a shared folder on there.

[Hagar Delest]

Then I don't understand your question.
The first step is to have the file on a location that can be reached by the 2 different machines. As long as it is not the case, who could it work???

If you share your car with someone else but you lock it in your own garage without allowing it to be accessed, how can it be used by someone else?

[Chunksoft]

Thank you for you analogy, I will pursue an answer further afield

[RoryOF]

There is little difficulty in Sharing a spreadsheet, once it is on a shared folder or drive accessible by the desired users. However, you do need to pay attention to warnings that it is being accessed by another user - in that case it may open read-only for the second user, who will be unable to make alterations while the first user is in control. Simultaneous editing is difficult and needs expert knowledge of networking.

[Chunksoft]

Thank you I seemed to have opened up a can of proverbial worms for myself but have gained a few ideas, looks like my weekend is going to be networking and spreadsheets

[Villeroy]

Networking and spreadsheets are unrelated to each other. A spreadsheet file on a network is nothing but an ordinary file. Spreadsheets files should never be edited simultaniously by multiple users.

[MrProgrammer]

is it possible to share a spreadsheet across two laptops on the same wifi network?

Calc Guide, Chapter 11, Sharing and Reviewing Documents says spreadsheets can be shared, though some restrictions are introduced in shared mode. I have no personal experience with that feature.

But a situation where data is to be shared is probably better handled with a database. Sharing of data among many users with proper contrrols to ensure that everyone has access to a consistent view of the data is a main feature of databases. When someone asks about sharing data I immediately think: You should be using a database. We have separate forums for database questions where you are more likely to find people with the appropriate experience.

I note that you are using a Mac. If everyone who needs to share uses Apple hardware, I would think you can put the spreadsheet on iCloud and use Numbers, which has a Share → Collaborate With Others menu. I have no personal experience with that feature but there is information about sharing in the help files for Numbers. You can probably share between Macs, iPads, and iPhones, all of which run Numbers. Numbers is either pre-installed on the devices or can be installed for free from the App Store. Questions about sharing Numbers spreadsheets should go to an Apple forum. People who do not have Apple hardware cannot share a Numbers spreadsheet.
Mac FAQ Q59/A59: Can I exchange documents between OpenOffice and iWork, Apple's office suite?

OpenOffice was developed long before iCloud so I would be wary about trying to store a Calc file there. I recall there are some topics in the MacOS forum about difficulties which may have been caused by that, though I don't think the people who opened them responded to questions about their use of iCloud and whether that was the cause of the trouble. Numbers does understand how to use iCloud.

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit button and add [Solved] to the start of the subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[Chunksoft]

Fantastic that works really well with numbers, I would much prefer to use OO as the interface is I believe so much better but at least it works, thank you so much for the help.