ONLYOFFICE Spreadsheet Editor · Sharing and collaboration · Intermediate
Filter a Shared ONLYOFFICE Sheet Without Disrupting Coworkers
Create and activate a separate Sheet View before filtering; understand shared presets, custom-filter permissions and edition limits.
Official documentation reviewed; independent fixture checks; not tested in the application · Editorial standards
Create a separate Sheet View, activate it, and only then change your filters. A preset is not private: people using the same view can see its filtering changes. Give each coworker a different active view when they need different results.
Check the deployment first
This workflow targets the browser-based ONLYOFFICE Docs Spreadsheet Editor with Sheet Views enabled and sufficient editing access. The vendor introduced Sheet Views in Docs 6.1 and described them as a paid-edition feature. That historical announcement is not a current licence comparison: ask the host administrator to confirm availability in your edition and integration. Do not assume a free Community deployment or a local Desktop Editors file provides the same shared-session behavior. Mobile controls are outside this guide’s scope.
Custom filtering permission is a separate mechanism. The integration’s modifyFilter setting controls global versus local filtering in edit mode. The API documentation warns that filters applied by a full-access user can still affect other users despite their local settings. A recipient’s custom-filter permission therefore does not make the whole session isolated. Permission details.
Prepare a harmless test
Use a copy of the workbook with synthetic records. Download the practice tasks, or enter these cells starting at A1:
| Task | Owner | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Check labels | Alex | New |
| Review figures | Sam | In progress |
| Confirm dates | Alex | Blocked |
| File report | Sam | Done |
The CSV contains values only. Save the working file as XLSX to retain workbook features. Arrange for a colleague to open this test copy with their normal permissions. Avoid testing on a busy production sheet.
Create your view before filtering
- With the test sheet open, go to View → New to enter a new Sheet View. Look for the eye indicator beside the sheet name.
- Open View → Sheet View → View manager. Rename the preset to
Alex review. Select it and use Go to view if it is not active. - Have your colleague create and activate a different preset, such as
Sam review. - With your view active, use the Owner column’s filter arrow and retain only
Alex. If the sample has no filter arrows, enable Filter for A1:C5 from Data as part of setup in this test copy. - Ask the colleague which task rows they see. In a separate unfiltered view they should still see all four, while you see Check labels and Confirm dates.
- Let the colleague filter their own view to
Sam. Their expected rows are Review figures and File report; your two Alex rows should remain.
The vendor’s Sheet View walkthrough documents entering the view before filtering. Its current view-manager help also describes saving existing filter parameters; avoid first changing shared filters just to create a preset.
Reuse, leave and verify
Return through View manager → Go to view. Use Rename or Duplicate to organize presets; do not delete someone else’s preset merely to leave it. Close exits Sheet View mode. After closing, ordinary filtering can affect coworkers again. View-manager controls.
There should be two Alex records and two Sam records. As an independent data check, =COUNTIF(B2:B5,"Alex") is 2. COUNTIF counts matching source values, not the currently visible rows, so it does not prove that view isolation is working. The two-user comparison does.
When something goes wrong
- Both windows change: check that each person has a different active preset. Stop modifying filters until the shared state is understood.
- Sheet View is missing or unavailable: check the deployment, licence and document permissions with the administrator. Do not substitute an ordinary shared filter. Work in a separate copy if permitted.
- A hidden task is still searchable or accessible: filtering is presentation, not access control. Never use it to conceal sensitive rows from someone allowed to open the workbook.
- Counts differ: clear accidental extra column criteria in your own view and check the selected data range includes row 5. See the official filter instructions.
Testing note: Official documentation was checked on 16 October 2026. The example counts were checked independently. This workflow was not tested in the application or in a two-user session; no native screenshot is presented.