How to use the “check out” feature in SharePoint

SharePoint servers as Microsoft Office 365’s document/file management service for organisations. Despite this, how exactly it’s used varies between companies due to its various tools.

Solution:

1. Navigate to “Documents” page of your site in SharePoint 
2. Select the documents you wish to make inaccessible
3. Open the context menu from the interaction bar
4. Select “Check out”
5. Check for red indicator

In this blog post we’re going to be talking about SharePoint’s “check out” feature. “Check out” refers to when we make a document in our “site” remain accessible but become unchangeable to other members of the site. As such, “Check in” would revert the effects; Your file would be both accessible and modifiable. Stay tuned for a step-by-step guide with images on “Check out” below.

Quick links:

• Using “check out” in SharePoint
• Using “check in” in SharePoint
• When to use “check in” versus “check out” in SharePoint

Using “check out” in SharePoint

Step 1 – Open up your SharePoint site’s documents

• When you first open your site on SharePoint you’re met with a side panel on the left side of the screen. From this, you may school through varying sub-pages until you locate “Documents.” You’ll want to open that one to proceed.

Step 2 – Select your target documents

• To select a file, hover over its name. A circular button will appear on its leftmost side. Please click the button. This will log the document as having been selected. Once you’re satisfied with your selections we can continue.

Step 3 – Select “Check out” from the context menu

• Above the documents field, you may notice an interaction bar that updated after you made a selection. You should see the context button (depicted as “. . . “), click it to produce a dropdown. From there you’ll spot “Check out.”

Step 4 – Check for red indicator

• You’ve now begun checking out your documents. This is indicated by the red icon you’ll now see. Everytime a document finishes checking out, it’s indicator will be displayed as you see below.

Using “check in” in SharePoint

Step 1 – Open up your SharePoint site’s documents

• When you first open your site on SharePoint you’re met with a side panel on the left side of the screen. From this, you may school through varying sub-pages until you locate “Documents.” You’ll want to open that one to proceed.

Step 2 – Select your target checked out documents

• To select a file, hover over its name. A circular button will appear on its leftmost side. Please click the button. This will log the document as having been selected. Once you’re satisfied with your selections we can continue.

Step 3 – Select “Check in” from the context menu

• Above the documents field, you may notice an interaction bar that updated after you made a selection. You should see the context button (depicted as “. . . “), click it to produce a dropdown. From there you’ll spot “Check in.”

Step 4 – Check red indicator has been removed

• If you no longer see a red indicator by your document’s name, it’s safe to assume you’ve successfully checked in your file.

When to use “Check out” versus “Check in” in SharePoint

When you should use SharePoint’s “check out” feature

• If you’re adding content which should not be modified by other members, you should check out the file. In doing so, the file will still be visible to site members. Despite this, they will be unable to modify the file. Fortunately, this is generally safe on public and private SharePoint sites alike.

When you should use SharePoint’s “check out” feature

• If your file requires collaboration or content from multiple people, it makes sense to keep it checked in. This way all necessary members are able to make their intended changes freely. Note that this is unadvised in public sites with potentially untrustworthy members. As such you’re advised to be weary and do so at your own risk outside of private SharePoint sites.

Our related articles:

• How to unsync SharePoint folder from desktop – When a user uses the OneDrive sync client to synchronize a SharePoint Document library, the whole library of files and folders is transferred to the user’s PC. It is not, however, simply replicated. Between the user’s PC and SharePoint, a two-way relationship is formed. Any changes in one location are immediately reflected in the other. This is unwanted behaviour if you intend to merely copy. As such we’ll be showing you how can unsync SharePoint.
• SharePoint document library search doesn’t work: How to fix – There are a vast number of reasons for SharePoint to malfunction. Here we’ll be helping you get through a few potential causes, and hopefully resolving them with our tested solutions.
• SharePoint: can’t add site members: Causes and fixes – SharePoint servers as a collaborative document manager. As such, the collaboration based functionality is about as important as the management functionality. Despite that, SharePoint may on occasion run into issues adding site members- in this blog we’ll be running through some causes and discussing fixes.
• What is the simplest way to transfer files from Google Suite to SharePoint? – If you’ve decided on switching from the Google Suite to the Office 365 Suite, you may be a little baffled as to how to go about it. Fortunately for you, we’ve got a better method than re-downloading and uploading everything one-by-one. Have a read to find out more.