What this lesson fixes
When a recipient needs access or can open a spreadsheet but cannot edit, check the account and file-sharing permissions. Use a small sharing plan to distinguish file access, editing roles, and protected ranges.
Learning objectives
Before you start
Sign in to Google and practice on a copy you own. To fix a real file, you need permission to manage sharing; otherwise, ask its owner. Menu names follow the English Google Sheets interface shown in the screenshot.
Open the practice workbook
Practice in your own copy
Make your own Google Sheets copy with the same data, formulas, formatting, filter and frozen header. The original remains unchanged.
Sign in to Google. If the original is not publicly shared, download the full workbook and import it into Google Sheets, or paste the example data into your own sheet.
Download the practice workbook (XLSX) ↗
If the template is unavailable to your account, download the XLSX and use File > Import > Upload in Google Sheets, or paste the sample into A1. The XLSX preserves the sample table and formatting; configure Google Drive sharing separately on your own Google Sheet.
On the Example tab, A1:C3 is an illustrative plan, not the workbook’s actual permissions. Budget/Linh/Viewer means Linh plans read-only access for a Budget recipient; Tracker/Minh/Commenter means Minh plans commenting access for a Tracker recipient. Typing a name under Owner or a role under Share plan does not grant access.
Work through the example
Step 1: Identify the symptom. If the recipient cannot open the file and needs access, inspect sharing permissions. If they can open it but cannot edit any cells, inspect their role. If they are already an Editor and only some cells are blocked, inspect Data > Protect sheets and ranges.
Step 2: Click Share at the top right. Under People with access, check the recipient’s email and role. A matching display name is insufficient: compare the address with the account they actually use.
Step 3: Open the dropdown under General access to inspect its current setting. Restricted means the link does not grant access to everyone; recipients need applicable access, potentially granted directly or through a shared group/folder. For one teammate, keep Restricted and correct that account’s access. Choose Anyone with the link only when link access is intended.
Step 4: If the recipient is missing, click Add people, groups, spaces, and calendar events. Enter their Google account email and select the matching account. On the next screen, open the role dropdown: choose Viewer for reading Budget, Commenter for reviewing Tracker, or Editor for editing data. Recheck the email and role before confirming; with Notify people enabled, Send grants access and notifies the recipient. Click Cancel if you are only exploring the choices.
The image shows Viewer selected before confirmation. [email protected] is an example address, not an invitation recipient; use the intended recipient’s actual Google account. Selecting Viewer here alone does not grant access: use Cancel when practicing the choices.
Step 5: If the recipient is already listed under People with access with the wrong role, open the dropdown beside their name, choose the required role, and click Save. Reopen Share to check the saved role. If you cannot change it or access is inherited, ask the owner or manager of the source permission to make the change.
Step 6: Have the recipient reopen the same link using the account granted access and try their task. A Viewer should open and read, a Commenter should add a comment, and an Editor should edit an allowed test cell. If only a particular range blocks the Editor, inspect protection instead of widening sharing.
Checkpoint
| Symptom | Check | Expected outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot open | Signed-in email and access in Share | The intended account opens the same link |
| Can open but cannot edit | Viewer/Commenter/Editor role | Saved role matches the task |
| Editor blocked only in some cells | Data > Protect sheets and ranges | Distinguish protection from file access |
| Cannot change permissions in Share | Sharing privileges or inherited access | Owner or permission manager handles the change |
The checkpoint is the recipient completing the intended task. Opening Share or having a valid URL does not prove the access issue is fixed.
Common mistakes and fixes
If external sharing is unavailable or adding a recipient is denied, contact the owner or Workspace administrator. If you selected a role but did not save it, reopen Share, apply and save the change before asking the recipient to retry.
Independent practice
On your copy, inspect People with access and General access and keep Restricted. Explain why a Budget reader needs Viewer, a Tracker reviewer needs Commenter, and a data operator needs Editor. You may inspect role choices and Cancel without sending an invitation. If practicing with a real recipient who has agreed, grant the intended role and have them test the task; remove test access when no longer needed.
Key takeaways
- ✓Distinguish failure to open, inability to edit the sheet, and editing blocked in a particular range.
- ✓In Share, check the actual email, People with access, and General access.
- ✓Choose Viewer for reading, Commenter for comments, and Editor for data editing.
- ✓Restricted does not grant access merely through a link; correct the account or permission source.
- ✓Save the change and retest the intended task using the recipient’s account.
Check your understanding
Answer four questions about the practice sheet.
Reference
Google’s file-sharing guidance ↗
Next lesson
Continue with the lesson on troubleshooting Google Sheets copy-permission errors.