How do I tell when a shared file is open elsewhere?

[KitKlein]

In the past I could always tell when a colleague had a shared file open.  I would know not to make changes if the other open file had changes that had not been saved.  I use the DropBox app on my Mac running OS 10.10.5 in Safari 10.1.2.  My colleague runs in Windows and noticed the same new issue.  

How do we change settings or what do we need to do to get that information again?  I want to avoid two or more people changing the same file and having to merge documents (mostly Word and Excel).

[Jay]

Hi Kit, how were you able to see who was on a file? Were you editing the file online, or using the apps on the machines themselves?

Did you have the Dropbox Badge running on both devices, which would then show if someone was in the same document elsewhere?

https://www.dropbox.com/help/business/badge-overview

If so, what has changed since then? Any details would be great!

[KitKlein]

I was using DropBox on my laptop/desktop with Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac.  When I would open a file, a small icon (badge?) would show up on the right side of the open document with the colleague's initials and a pop-up window of some sort would let me know if she made changes.  I no longer see those.

I can't seem to find anything about Badges on preferences for the app or on my online DropBox account.  I did just find another post saying that others had had problems with the same issue.  I didn't know they were called Badges until I saw your reply.

How do I get Badges back?  I'm not aware of any changes on my end.  The Badges just disappeared a few weeks ago.

[Rich]

• https://www.dropbox.com/help/business/badge-overview
• https://www.dropbox.com/help/business/badge-collaborate
• https://www.dropbox.com/help/business/badge-issues

[KitKlein]

I use DropBox Plus.  Is that a factor?  I wasn't in the past.

All the items on the list of requirements for using Badges (listed on the various links provided) are met with the exception of using Office 2008 for Mac instead of a newer version.  Must I purchase a newer version to get back to using badges?  That wasn't a problem in the past.  I will check on Tuesday to see if I can see the badges when I use a newer Windows version of Office. 

Thanks for all the advice.

[KitKlein · Accepted solution]

I checked things out on another laptop running Windows and Office 2010.  I could see the badges there as I had always done there and on my Mac.  So, the answer seems to be that DropBox no longer supports Office 2008 for Mac, even though it had in the past.  I'm out of luck with badges unless I purchase a newer version of Office.  What a shame.

[Jay]

Yeah, that’s correct, on Mac devices, the Office apps need to be at least 2011 or 2016.

For Windows however it can run on versions 2007, 2010, 2013, or 2016.

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