Signals Notebook: Excel file shows locked after an application crash in Signals Notebook

Issue: After an application crash, timeout, or system shutdown, an Excel file in Signals Notebook may appear locked by a user.

Cause

File locks occur when Excel is opened for local editing. Depending on how Excel or the PC was closed, the lock may persist temporarily.

Common Scenarios

1. Excel left open while PC is running – The file remains locked because the lock is continuously refreshed.

2. PC sleeps, crashes, or shuts down – The lock stays for up to 30 minutes (timeout) and is then released.

3. Excel closed properly – The lock is released immediately.

Resolution

1. Close all Excel windows completely.

2. Check Task Manager and end any running Excel processes.

3. Look for and remove temporary files (starting with ~) from your local system.

4. If caused by a crash or shutdown, wait 30 minutes for the lock to clear.

Key Note

Most lock issues resolve automatically once Excel is fully closed and no background processes remain.