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Our company using TFS 2010 and Sharepoint. I don't have rights to make changes in documents, but I want to edit their local copy.

Unfortunately Microsoft Word doesn't allow me to do this - I need to checkout a document first.

Is there a way to edit a document without checkout?

I tried to disable "Visual Studio Tools for Office Design-Time Adaptor for Word" via the File->Parameters menu, but it doesn't help. I want Microsoft Word to work exactly as it works without Sharepoint, is it possible?

I'll try to describe process more clearly:

  1. Using Internet Explorer I download a document from Sharepoint. IE ask me (my translate to English) Title: "Open document", Text: "Some files may harm your computer e.t.c ...", File name: XXX.docx, From: server:8080, OK, Cancel.

  2. After clicking "OK" I see the document with yellow bar below the main menu (my translate): "Checkout needed. For changing this server document, you must checkout it first" and the button "Checkout".

  3. I can't edit it. I don't have access to change this document on the server, so I can't checkout it. My only wish - edit this document locally (without saving, uploading e.t.c).

The only method I know is "Save As" the document locally and then edit it. But it isn't convenient and I believe that there is another way.

Upd: If I download a document using a direct http link via Mozilla Firefox, it opens the way I need (without edit restriction). Internet Explorer always opens a document with restriction.

It isn't the best solution, but if no one will offer another - I'll make direct links for any files I need and will use Firefox.

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2 Answers 2

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It depends on how the library is set up. From the sounds of it, your sys-admin has made check-out mandatory so you won't be able to edit the file on the server without checking it out first. You may be able to download a copy to your local machine and edit that but to make it available to others you'll have to re-upload it to the library.

Your best bet is probably to request check-in/out access to the library from the site collection administrator.

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  • I just want to edit my local copy of document. I don't want to upload it somewhere. For me, as for the end user Sharepoint is just a source of documents, like a ftp server or a web site. When I get a document on my computer I should be able to make anything with it, am I right?
    – n4meless0nly
    Aug 19, 2014 at 9:06
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    If you have a local copy on your workstation you should be able to do what you like with it and have no effect on SharePoint. You should only have to check a document out if it saved to a sharepoint library.
    – JonS
    Aug 19, 2014 at 9:28
  • Thank you for answering! I tried to provide more info about my problem, please, could you check my first post. Thank you again.
    – n4meless0nly
    Aug 19, 2014 at 10:14
  • Fire fox doesn't inherit GPO settings from AD the way that IE does. I suspect that this is why you can open documents with FF, because it is ignoring the SharePoint security settings that are downloaded with the file. To confirm this, try opening with Chrome or Safari. these also ignore GPO.
    – JonS
    Aug 19, 2014 at 11:27
  • I tried Chrome, and it just works (without using direct links), thank you! Firefox trying to be smarter and using GPO settings partially while Chrome not even trying - just works with Sharepoint as a remote web server. So, I think, I can close question. Thank you again!
    – n4meless0nly
    Aug 19, 2014 at 12:29
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If you download a document from the TFS SharePoint portal, it get downloaded with the security and configuration settings. If the configuration was done in such a way that you have to check out the document before editing, then you have no choice. However, if you have the original document which you created before uploading into SharePoint, you should be able to edit it.

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  • Thank you for answering! I tried to use direct link of a document (to avoid settings) - it works, but only in Firefox (in IE nothing changed) and I have make direct links for all documents that I use. May be there is another way?
    – n4meless0nly
    Aug 19, 2014 at 10:59

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