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We are using SharePoint online. I have the setting to require check out before a document could be edited on a document library. When I try to share this library with an external user it gives error.

Office 365 Sharing failed: The guest link couldn't be created. If your documents >are required to be checked out before editing, you won't be able to create guest >links for editing them.

Please note that external sharing was working for this library when the setting to require check out was turned off.

I want to keep the setting to require check out on, and I also want external user to have share with "can edit" rights. Please tell me if there is a solution or workaround for this situation. Please also share your thoughts why Microsoft have made these settings this way.

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  • did you select the require sign in when sharing the document?
    – Waqas Sarwar MVP ♦
    Dec 5, 2017 at 17:44
  • @WaqasSarwarMVP Are you talking about the option "Allow external users who accept sharing invitations and sign in as authenticated users" for external sharing options
    – KayEye
    Dec 5, 2017 at 17:48
  • yes, i tested and it is working as expected
    – Waqas Sarwar MVP ♦
    Dec 5, 2017 at 17:48
  • Yes that is the one selected for the external sharing for this site. Sharing was working fine before I turned on "Require check out" option for the library. Did you test with this option on?
    – KayEye
    Dec 5, 2017 at 17:50

2 Answers 2

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You are getting this error becuase you did not select the Require Sign-in

enter image description here

If Checked out is required then you have to select the require sign-in then user will able to check out the document after that they can edit it.

Some sites are customized and may not display Require sign-in. If you need this option, contact your site administrator.

Share a document requiring sign in to your site

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  • I don't see this option "Require sign-in", why?
    – KayEye
    Dec 5, 2017 at 17:55
  • Some sites are customized and may not display Require sign-in. If you need this option, contact your site administrator. support.office.com/en-us/article/…
    – Waqas Sarwar MVP ♦
    Dec 5, 2017 at 17:58
  • I am the site administrator, and it is not customized at all.
    – KayEye
    Dec 5, 2017 at 17:58
  • Could you please confirm which external sharing option is selected for your website in central admin, is it "Allow external users who accept sharing invitations and sign in as authenticated users"? I think in that case it is mandatory to sign in, as anonymous sharing is not allowed.
    – KayEye
    Dec 5, 2017 at 18:01
  • thats correct, i selected that option.no thats not correct, anonymous will get the guest link without required sign in if you unselect the option.
    – Waqas Sarwar MVP ♦
    Dec 5, 2017 at 18:02
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After whole day of desperately trying to make this work, I finally used a workaround to give the external user access. changed the option to "require check out before editing a document" to no, and then shared the folder, after sharing I switched back the option.

I kept trying to find a setting which would make this work but I was still getting error at the end of second day. Then on third day, I logged on and tried sharing and to my surprise it worked, even with "Require check out before edit option".

It seems like a bug which affected our tenancy for some time, because it didn't make any sense, and then it was resolved somehow.

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