Hey everyone, I'm a Level 1 support tech dealing with a persistent Excel "ghost." I **do not have admin access** to the file server or active sessions management, so I need a workaround I can perform at the file level.

A group of users shares an Excel file called **"ALTS Accounts List.xlsx"**. Every time anyone tries to open it, they get the "File in Use" popup stating it is locked for editing by **Oskar Alvgrim** (see **image.png**).

**The Catch:**

• **Oskar Alvgrim** left the company over a year ago.

• The file isn't actually locked. Users can click "Read Only" and then proceed to edit and save changes as normal, but the popup appears for every single person, every single time.

• Since I'm L1, I can't jump onto the server to "close open sessions" or kill ghost processes.

**What I've checked:**

• Confirmed the file is on a shared network drive.

• Looked for hidden owner files (like \~$ALTS Accounts List.xlsx) in the folder to delete them, but nothing shows up even with hidden items enabled.

Is there a way to "strip" this ghost owner from the file metadata or a specific "Save As" workflow that preserves the file's integrity while killing the prompt? I’m trying to avoid a full file migration if possible, but I'm running out of non-admin ideas.



Excel "File in Use" popup locked by an ex-employee (Oskar) from a year ago?