I need to create a Google Sheets and share it with a set of computers connected to each other via a local network. Those computers are not connected to the internet.
I need a solution in which all the participants can edit the document simultaneously. Therefore I cannot just share a Microsoft Excel file. A magical format which allows simultaneous access and has the spreadsheet features will solve my problem.
As you're aware, Google won't do the job without an internet connection. Even the offline version of Google Docs only allows local changes, not synced ones.
Perhaps surprisingly, Microsoft's Excel does allow simultaneous editing by a number of people on a local network. It isn't real time like Google, but it does update everytime users save. There are simple instructions on this blog post, the relevant part being:
The workbook needs to be in a network share and it must have a write privilege to all your team members.
- Open your workbook.
- Navigate to Review on the toolbar
- Click on the Share Workbook icon
- Place a check on the check box that says Allow more than one user at the same time.
- Click on OK
- Now, save your workbook on a network share
While far from perfect, if everyone is encouraged to save regularly it might be an alternative for your situation.
" Is it possible to share a Google Spreadsheet between computers with no internet"
I'm no networking expert, but logic tells me that the only way to do this is to finding a way to share the internet connection with all the five computers (ie giving them internet access.
The other option would be to convert the document to another (ie non google spreadsheet) format that allows simultaneous access. Sorry, but I don't know any format that does that (and I doubt you'll find one).
