Question

Is There an Easier Option to Get From Web Client to Editing an Excel Document

Self-Hosted Web Client Version 11

Updated April 23

asked on April 22

Web Client Version 11.0.2308.28

I've been using the Windows Client for 20 years, but I'm very new to using the Web Client. I'm trying to push myself and our team to do more activities in the Web Client.

I have a daily activity that includes editing an Excel document (xlsx) that is stored in the repository.

I've noticed that to get from the Web Client to editing the document in Excel requires more steps than it does from the Windows Client.

When viewing the document in the folder/document list, I can't find any options to open/edit it in Excel (only download it - which isn't what I want). If I open it in the document viewer, now I have a field at the top-right that I can click called "Edit With" that opens a drop down that includes "Microsoft Excel" as an option.

Does anyone know a way to edit into this "Edit With Microsoft Excel" without needing to first open it in the document viewer? It's a small thing, but it's extra steps and extra time, and it's the kind of thing that makes it harder to convince staff to switch to the web client when it feels more difficult than doing it the windows client?

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SELECTED ANSWER

replied on April 23 • Show version history

Hey! We use the web client at my organization - when you see the "Edit with Microsoft Excel on your desktop" option in the document viewer and then also see the "Download and Check Out" option - they're the same. Just labeled differently. The "open in Excel on your desktop" option automatically checks the file out to you - I'm guessing the repository menu option just hasn't been updated yet.

ADDITIONALLY, there's actually a shortcut to open office docs from the web client (which I just learned now hahaha) - Ctrl + Alt +A will check the document out to you, but in the process open it in the corresponding Office application.

I did just double-check and test to make sure that both of those options worked too, so if they don't work for you, let me know and I can share details of how our web client is configured in case it's relevant. :)

Does that answer your question?

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replied on April 23

oh, haha. I could have sworn I'd tried that and it didn't work that way, but you're totally right, it works that way. I feel silly.

So "Download and Check Out" from the Folder/Document View or "Edit With Microsoft Excel" from the Document Viewer - are giving me the same behavior.

Thank you so much @████████!

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replied on April 23

perfect, I'm so happy that it helped!

I'm writing Web Client training materials for our staff right now, so if there's anything else you run into, I've been exploring and fooling around with things a lot over the last few weeks.

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Replies

replied on April 23

If you configure the Web Client Configuration to integrate with Office Online, you get an option to Open with Excel Online.

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replied on April 23

Thank you @████████- I'll definitely look into that, as that may be helpful for other situations, and improve things for all staff as they begin using the web client more.

But for this specific request, that just introduces a different element, the online version of Excel. My concern here is that it is working without the online version, it just isn't available without diving into the document viewer first. It's just more complicated to get to it than I feel like it should be.

In Document Viewer - I have the option to Edit With Microsoft Excel:

In Folder/Document View - there is no option for that:

This option doesn't require any extra integrations.

I'm just hoping maybe Laserfiche can add the ability to get to the "Edit With Microsoft Excel" option without needing to go into the Document Viewer first.

Justin Pava did say at Empower 2025 that he wants to elimintate the remaining roadblocks that keep people from moving to the web client. This isn't exactly a roadblock, but it's definitely something that could be streamlined to make it a little easier.

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replied on April 22

It would be nice if it was something available in the Right-Click menu. There is an Open option there with sub items.

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replied on April 22

Yeah - right-click > Open is just giving me options to "Download and Check Out", "Download as Read-Only", and "Document Viewer". I'm not seeing anything in there to "Edit With Microsoft Excel" from the right-click menu, or from the details/fields/preview panel, or from the "..." menu at the top-right. I'm only seeing it from within the Document Viewer.

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Is There an Easier Option to Get From Web Client to Editing an Excel Document

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