Unlock documents
When a document is temporarily locked in Word or Power Point, it cannot be edited or opened by other users. The same locking also applies to the opening of attachments or snapshots.
The locking can be eliminated by a time-out set up in the configuration or by the admin user via the Unlock Documents management window. This window can be accessed from the Admin home page via the Collaborative Office> Utility >Unlock Documents Management tile. Moreover, through this window the administrator can check the status of documents, attachments and snapshots.
Window detail¶
The Unlock Documents Management window displays the list of documents, attachments and snapshots temporarily locked by the system and, for each row, the value of the attributes described in the following table:
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Type of locked element. Possible values: - Document - Attachment - Snapshot |
| Document type | Code - Description of the type of document to which the locked element belongs. |
| Document | Code - Description of the locked document. If the locked element is of Attachment or Snapshot type, it is the document to which the locked element belongs. |
| Document part | Code - Description of the locked document part. If the locked element is of Attachment or Snapshot type, it is the document part to which the locked element belongs. |
| Attachment | Code - Description of the locked attachment. |
| Snapshot | Code - Description of the locked snapshot. |
| In use by | Code - Description of the user who opened the document, the attachment or the snapshot |
| Access date | Date and time at which the user opened the element |
Manual unlocking¶
To unlock one or more locked elements, you have to:
- select from the grid the records that correspond to the elements you want to unlock
- select the Actions > Unlock menu on the toolbar to launch the relevant data processing.
A warning message will pop up informing the user that if they continue the unlock process, the selected elements will be available to other users and the users who had set up the locking will no longer be able to modify them. Once the unlock data processing is successfully completed, the system will send the users who had the locking eliminated high priority message asking them to save the document and automatically create a snapshot in order not to lose their changes.