# spreadsheet sharing



## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

OK, not business related, but I bet some of you have experience.

Son Jake and I keep track of what we owe each other with a spreadsheet. It's easy at home because we both can pull it up off the home network and add to it.

Not so easy when he's at college. 

What's out there that would work? Free would be good. And 100% compatibility with Excel is kinda necessary. 

We tried either google docs or Yahoo's equiv and it didn't work. wouldn't add totals. Strange.

Ideas?


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

I am 100% certain there is a microsoft product that does what you need. I am also 100% certain that is the most help I can be on this question.

I think microsoft Groove is your answer though. Never tried it, it is on my computer from the business Office suite software, maybe you have it yours as well. Otherwise, there goes free and cheap out the window.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

I don't know why Google Docs wouldn't add totals? Could you just use something like Dropbox? Use this link if you want to check it out and I'll get some more storage for free. 

It would not be as nice as a shared doc, but you could both make changes to the doc and have access.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

I bet Yaros will know!


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## A Painter (Oct 18, 2007)

*free office software*

There is a free office suite:
www.open*office*.org

It is produced by Oracle, the folks who produce JAVA software which everyone uses in conjunction with a multitude of software. I have checked it out about 5 years ago or so and I am guessing it is what you may be looking for. 

I use microsoft office - quite a few of my customers work at microsoft, my kids work at Microsoft - the headquarters are about 15 minutes from my home and once they switched from DOS to Windows operating systems I switched from Apple Macintosh. 

Open office is a move for "The Greater Good" and I really appreciate them doing that

Long answer, just take the good with the bad.

Steve Cole
A Painting Company
Sammamish, WA
Peace through Paint


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

I thought of open office too, but does that allow them to "share" documents?


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

RCP said:


> I thought of open office too, but does that allow them to "share" documents?


We have been using openoffice with Dropbox (link you provided above)
for a few months now. Free and in all computers.


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## ROOMINADAY (Mar 20, 2009)

I use both Open Office and Microsoft. I just converted all my paint and drywall quote spreadsheets to Google Doc's so I can quote fom my Samsung Galaxy Android phone....if I really need to!

I also tried MS Silverlight too. It is very good.

http://www.silverlight.net/


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Isn't open office what's used on linux ? the old Sun office suite?

Not that it is bad, but I would prefer to use Excel for this.

The dropbox video sounds like what we want. Sound like it allows us to share the spreadsheet we are already using. Dropbox is just a commonly accessible file storage place, right?


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

daArch said:


> OK, not business related, but I bet some of you have experience.
> 
> Son Jake and I keep track of what we owe each other with a spreadsheet. It's easy at home because we both can pull it up off the home network and *add to it.*



I got much experience with my kids adding to it. :huh: any way good luck with the spreadsheet deal. I don't got much experience in that.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

daArch said:


> Isn't open office what's used on linux ? the old Sun office suite?
> 
> Not that it is bad, but I would prefer to use Excel for this.
> 
> The dropbox video sounds like what we want. Sound like it allows us to share the spreadsheet we are already using. Dropbox is just a commonly accessible file storage place, right?


Yes, it is just a file storage. I have it on multiple computers and use it all the time. You can also use it to send large files that exceed most email limits to anyone, they don't have to have a dropbox acct.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Let me know how you like it Bill, or at least i assume it was you that installed it, I got more storage free for you using the link!:thumbsup:


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## y.painting (Jul 19, 2009)

Just one excel file you guys are keeping? You can just email it to each other. Or use dropbox.

If you want a fancier solution, you can set up a live sync for just one single folder where the excel file will be stored. Everytime you make changes to it, they will sync up with the document in a mirror folder on your son's com and vice versa.

Now live sync is a MS product (works on mac and windows....Bill, as I can remember, you're a linux user ??) and some of you may be going gfjhgfjghf WTF, but it's actually a very decent service. It's free and it actually works really well. Give er a try if you're mac or windows based.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

RCP said:


> Could you just use something like Dropbox? Use this link if you want to check it out and I'll get some more storage for free.


Crap Bill, if you don't jump all over this, I'll be shocked. It was _made _for you.
It says so right here:

_We also have an unlimited undo option called *"Pack-rat"*. 
_


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

daArch said:


> OK, not business related, but I bet some of you have experience.
> 
> Son Jake and I keep track of what we owe each other:blink: with a spreadsheet. It's easy at home because we both can pull it up off the home network and add to it.
> 
> ...


Please explain


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

office live does that.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, 75–77


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

chrisn said:


> Please explain


He pays for things with his bank card that we reimburse him for: books at school, he does the food shopping when he's home, and other stuff.

We pay for things that he will reimburse us for: cell usage, auto insurance, and such.

Keeping it on a spreadsheet makes it much easier to keep a tally.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

ProWallGuy said:


> _We also have an unlimited undo option called *"Pack-rat"*.
> _


Hmmmmm, didn't see that. But I bet it costs. Damn, ying and yang tugging on me.


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## LocalPaintPros (Mar 14, 2011)

y.painting said:


> If you want a fancier solution, you can set up a live sync for just one single folder where the excel file will be stored. Everytime you make changes to it, they will sync up with the document in a mirror folder on your son's com and vice versa.


Windows Live Sync is very cool -- I've used it for about a year in my business to sync quotes between my laptop, the laptop in the hands of an Estimator working for me, and our main office machine. I started using it when my CRM system (ACT) started mangling filenames during its sync process and this made quotes impossible to find without wading into the filesystem manually.

Unfortunately Windows Live Sync is end-of-life and will disappear very soon (end of this month?). The replacement is Windows Live Mesh, and for this you need Vista or 7. All 3 of my machines are on XP due to other legacy software issues.


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