How SharePoint Check out feature works

I first blogged about the check-out functionality back in 2017. Even back then, it was considered somewhat outdated.  To my surprise, this feature is still out there and, despite being somewhat hidden, is still popular and actively used. As such, I would like to refresh that old article of mine and bring it in line with the modern version of SharePoint we now have.

What is check-in/check-out out

Check out feature is the opposite of Co-authoring. Co-authoring allows 2 or more users to edit the same document in real time at the same time. Check-out locks the document to a user’s account, so only that user can change it while it’s checked out to them.

How to check out the file in SharePoint

1. Click the three dots next to a file, then More > Check out
2. You will then see a small red arrow appearing next to a file, which is an indicator that the file is checked out

Experience for the other users while the file is checked out

Once a file is checked out by a user, only that user can make changes to the document. Other users will not be able to see the changes or make any changes until two things happen:

• The original user saves the document back to SharePoint AND
• The original user checks the document back into SharePoint

They will see a small arrow next to a file, indicating that it is checked out by someone.

If other users try to access the document while it is checked out by someone else, they will only be able to see the previous version in read-only mode! If they try to edit the file in any way, they will receive the following error message.

How to check the file back into SharePoint

There are two ways to check the document back into SharePoint.

Option 1: Check in via the menu

The first way to check in the document is via the same way the file was checked out. Click More > Check in

Option 2: Exit the desktop document

If the user opened and edited a document in the desktop versions of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, a warning message will appear asking the user to check in. Please note that this experience is only available in desktop apps, not in the browser version.

No matter which option is chosen, once the user checks in the document, it will prompt them to enter comments. The comments are optional. However, it is a good way to document changes for others to reference.

The comments entered will appear under the version history.

Discard Check out Option

Sometimes you might check out a document and then decide not to make any changes/discard updates. In that case, you can discard the check out. This option pretty much wipes out all the updates made since check out and removes the lock/check out from the document.

How to enforce the check out of all files in the library by default

There is another cool capability that might be beneficial if you want to ensure users do not forget to manually check out a document before making changes. You can enforce the checkout for all documents before edits are made. Here is how to do this.

1. Click on the Gear Icon > Library settings
2. Click on More library settings
3. Click on Versioning settings
4. All the way at the bottom, select Yes under the Require Check Out section. Click OK.
5. Next time someone tries to edit the document, they will be asked to check out the document first.
6. The same applies to any metadata changes – users will get the below error message when trying to change any metadata on a document.

Use Cases for the Check out feature in SharePoint

• Despite the prevalence of Coauthoring, sometimes you want to ensure that no one edits the document at the same time. Check out is the perfect fit here.
• Non-Microsoft files, like PDF or CAD files, do not support co-authoring. So in those cases, to prevent data loss and overwriting each other’s changes, users must check out the files
• Check-in/Check-out is a simple, effective mechanism to establish an orderly/controlled process for changes within a document library, ensuring a standard way to make changes.
• Check out feature is a great way to avoid OneDrive Sync Conflicts. As documented in this article, when one user goes offline, and changes occur to the document in both online and offline modes, OneDrive Sync can encounter conflicts that are hard to resolve. With check-out, this scenario is avoided.

Nuances about Check in/check out

• Even when the user makes multiple revisions while the file is checked out, it only creates 1 version when the document is checked in.
• If users check out a document and are unavailable to check it in, Site Owners can override the checkout and check it in on others’ behalf. I explained how to do this here.
• I always recommend adding Checked out to column to the library view so users can easily see who the document is currently checked out to.
• When the file is checked out, and the library is synced via OneDrive Sync, a lock icon appears next to the file in Windows Explorer.