Check Out Documents

The Check Out Documents page allows you to check out and lock a document using the Check Out and Lock button. The document is copied to your local hard drive and locked in the library so other users cannot edit it.

You can also lock a document using the Lock Only button. This locks the document in the library so other users cannot edit it, but it does not copy the document to your local hard drive.

To check out a document:

  1. From an items list, do one of the following:

    • Click the Check Out icon in the row for the document you want to check out.

    • If you do not have the Check Out icon displayed, click the More actions icon in the row for the document you want to check out. Select In/Out.

      The Check Out Documents page is displayed.

  2. Fill out the fields as described below:

    Field
    Description
    Expected return date
    The expected return date indicates when you expect to make the document available to other users by checking it in or unlocking it.
    The default value for this field is the next day (for example, if you check out a document on 6/13/13, the expected check-in date will automatically be set for 6/14/13) but users can enter any future date they choose.
    You can use the table lookup button to access a calendar to select the day you expect to check in or unlock the document. Click the table lookup button and highlight the day you expect to return the document.
    You can also use the following date syntax:
    %today represents today's date.
    PLUS allows you to add a number of days from the specified date.
    MINUS allows you to subtract a number of days from the specified date.
    In the following examples of enhanced date searching:
    date represents a date you specify.
    n represents any integer.
    To set the Expected return date to three days from today, enter:
    %today PLUS n
    Example: %today PLUS 3
    To set the Expected return date to ten days before a specified date, enter:
    date MINUS n
    Example: 10/21/2003 MINUS 10
    Comment
    Users can note the reason(s) why the document is being checked out or locked in this field. It is not required, but this information may assist another user who intends to work with the same document in the future.

  3. If there are multiple versions of a document available, you can select the specific version of the document to be checked out or locked using the buttons beneath the Version column.

  4. Click Check Out and Lock or Lock Only.

  5. The Download File page is displayed. If you are using Internet Explorer, right-click the document name link and select Save Target As. See Document Download for Internet Explorer for more information.

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