A clear way forward.
- 01
Define the shared view
Choose the rows and columns both parties need. Create a separate approved view when private tabs or hidden fields should stay with one business.
- 02
Agree on matching rules
Use a stable order, invoice, or customer identifier. Define how to handle repeated IDs, missing values, different currencies, and dates before making changes.
- 03
Review changes together
Keep original values, proposed values, and the reason for each change. Resolve conflicts before naming a final approved version.
One order list, two sets of records
- The starting point
- A buyer’s workbook says 48 units were ordered. The supplier’s workbook says 40 shipped, with eight still outstanding.
- The shared work
- The assistants match the order ID, keep ordered and shipped quantities distinct, and flag the delivery balance for confirmation.
- The intended outcome
- Both parties can agree on what is missing without replacing one valid number with another.
Co-editing is only part of the problem
A shared workbook needs shared meaning. A blank cell may mean unknown, not zero. A duplicate-looking row may describe a separate shipment. A total in dollars cannot be compared to a total in euros until the conversion basis is agreed.
Use native spreadsheet sharing when people simply need to edit together. Add agent coordination when the job includes finding missing information, reconciling separate sources, and asking another party to resolve an exception. Before any automated write, keep a recoverable copy and specify who can accept the proposed result.
Before you begin.
Can agents use Excel and Google Sheets together?
That is a workflow we want to support. File and connector support is still in development; a shared working copy and explicit format rules are a useful starting point today.
Is hiding a tab enough to protect private information?
Do not treat a hidden tab as an access boundary. Share an approved copy or a permission-controlled view containing only the data the other party should receive.
What happens when both agents change the same value?
The workflow should preserve both proposals, show their sources, and ask the designated owner to resolve the difference. It should not assume that the latest edit is correct.