Excel survey doesn't have full functionality when you click +new in a SharePoint Online library

  • Article
  • Applies to:
    SharePoint Online

Problem

When you click +new in a SharePoint Online library, and then you view the list of available options in the Create a new file dialog box, the Excel survey option doesn't have full functionality.

Solution

For the Excel survey to have full functionality, you must configure the following settings:

  • Correctly configure Sharing for your tenant.

  • Correctly configure Sharing for your site collections.

  • Disable file check-out for the library.

  • Disable mutiple content types.

To correctly configure Sharing for your tenant, follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to the SharePoint admin center.

  2. On the left side of the page, click sharing.

  3. Under Sharing outside your organization, click the Allow sharing with all external users, and by using anonymous access links option, select view and edition the Files list, and then click OK.

To correctly configure Sharing for your site collections, follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to the SharePoint admin center.

  2. On the left side of the page, click site collections.

  3. Select the check box next to the affected site collection.

  4. On the ribbon, click the Sharing button.

  5. Click the Allow sharing with all external users, and by using anonymous access links option, and then click Save.

NOTE If Sharing is disabled at the tenant and site collection levels, the Excel survey option may still be available when you click +New from a library. However, the Excel survey will not have full functionality unless Sharing is configured correctly.

To remove the check-out requirement, follow these steps:

  1. Browse to the affected library.

  2. On the LIBRARY tab of the ribbon, click Library Settings.

  3. In the General Settings section, click Versioning settings.

  4. Set the Require Check Out setting to No, and then click OK.

NOTE The check-out feature must be disabled because anonymous users can't check out files and complete the survey. If your existing library requires check-out, we recommend that you create a library specifically for Excel survey files.

To disable mutiple content types, follow these steps:

  1. Browse to the affected library.

  2. On the LIBRARY tab of the ribbon, click Library Settings.

  3. In the General Settings section, click Advanced settings.

  4. Set the Allow management of Content types setting to No, and then click OK.

NOTE Performing this will not show non default content types when clicked New

More information

This behavior occurs by design, when external sharing is not enabled for a site collection.

For more information about how to manage external sharing for your SharePoint online environment, go to External sharing overview.

For more information about document check-out, go to Set up a library to require check-out of files.

Still need help? Go to SharePoint Community.