How To See Who Has Viewed A File On Sharepoint?

Have you ever wanted to know who has been viewing your files on SharePoint? It can be difficult to keep track of the activity on your files and documents, especially if they are being accessed by multiple people. However, SharePoint offers a great feature that allows you to see who has viewed a file or document. In this article, we will guide you through the steps of how to see who has viewed a file on SharePoint.

Seeing Who Has Viewed a File on SharePoint

SharePoint is a powerful collaboration platform that can help teams collaborate and share files easily. One of the key features of SharePoint is the ability to track who has viewed a file. This can be a great way to gain insights into how popular a file or document is, or who is accessing it. In this article, we’ll explain how to see who has viewed a file on SharePoint.

Understanding SharePoint File Viewing

SharePoint’s file viewing feature is built into the platform, allowing you to easily view who has accessed a file. This feature is available on all versions of SharePoint, including SharePoint Online and SharePoint Server. When a user views a file, SharePoint records the user’s name and the date and time of the view.

Viewing a File’s Viewing History

To view a file’s viewing history, first open the file in SharePoint. Then, click the “View Properties” button in the top-right corner of the window. This will open a panel on the right side of the page that contains the file’s properties. Scroll down in the panel until you see the “Viewing History” section. This section will list the names of all users who have viewed the file and the date and time of each view.

Creating a Report

If you want to keep track of who has been viewing a file over time, you can create a report to view the data. To do this, click the “Create View Report” button in the Viewing History section. This will open a new window that allows you to customize the data that is included in the report. You can choose to include the user’s name, date, and time of view, as well as other information. Once you have configured the report, click the “Create Report” button. This will generate a report that can be downloaded or printed.

Limitations of Viewing History

It’s important to note that SharePoint’s file viewing history is not always reliable. For one, it does not record views from anonymous users, such as those who access the file from a public website. Additionally, the history is limited to the current version of the file. If a user views an older version of the file, this will not be recorded in the viewing history.

Using Third-Party Tools

If you need to track who has viewed a file over time, you may want to consider using a third-party tool. These tools can be used to track viewing history over time, even for anonymous users. Additionally, they can track views of older versions of the file, as well as other useful data.

Viewing a File’s Version History

Another way to track who has viewed a file is to view the file’s version history. To do this, open the file in SharePoint and click the “Version History” button in the top-right corner of the window. This will open a panel on the right side of the window that contains the file’s version history. It will list the date and time of each version, as well as the user who created the version.

Viewing the Site’s Viewing History

Finally, you can also view the viewing history of the entire site. To do this, open the site in SharePoint and click the “Site Settings” button in the top-right corner of the window. This will open the Site Settings page, which contains a variety of options. Click the “Viewing History” option in the “Site Administration” section. This will open a page that contains the viewing history of the entire site.

Using Auditing to Track File Views

If you need to track file views over time, you may want to consider using SharePoint’s auditing feature. This feature can be used to track all actions taken on a file, including views. To enable auditing, open the file in SharePoint and click the “Information Management Policy Settings” button in the top-right corner of the window. Select the “Auditing” option and then configure the settings as desired. Once auditing is enabled, all actions taken on the file will be logged, including views.

Viewing Auditing Logs

Once auditing is enabled, you can view the logs of all actions taken on the file. To do this, open the file in SharePoint and click the “Information Management Policy Settings” button in the top-right corner of the window. Select the “Auditing Logs” option and then click the “View Logs” button. This will open a page that contains the logs of all actions taken on the file, including views.

Managing User Permissions

Finally, you can also manage user permissions to control who can view a file. To do this, open the file in SharePoint and click the “Permissions” button in the top-right corner of the window. This will open a panel on the right side of the window that contains the file’s permissions. You can then add or remove users as desired and set their permission levels. This is a great way to ensure that only the desired users can view the file.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I see who has viewed a file on SharePoint?

In order to see who has viewed a file on SharePoint, you need to have the proper permissions to access the analytics and reporting features. If you have the requisite permission, you can use the ‘Site Activity’ page, located in the ‘Site Contents’ page. On this page, you can view basic analytics about the file, such as the number of views, the total number of people who have viewed it, and the average time spent on the file. Additionally, you can also view detailed information about who has viewed the file, such as their name, email address, and time spent on the file.

The other option is to use the ‘Audit Log Reports’ feature, which is available in the ‘Site Settings’ page. This feature allows you to view detailed reports about who has accessed the file and what actions they have performed on it. This feature also allows you to filter the data based on specific criteria, such as date range, user, and action.

What permissions do I need to see who has viewed a file on SharePoint?

In order to view who has viewed a file on SharePoint, you need to have the ‘View Usage Data’ permission. This permission is usually granted to site owners and administrators, but can also be granted to individual users. Additionally, you may need additional permissions to access the ‘Audit Log Reports’ feature, depending on your particular site configuration.

If you do not have the requisite permissions, you may need to contact the site owner or administrator in order to gain access to the analytics and reporting features. Alternatively, you may also be able to view basic analytics about the file, such as the number of views and the total number of people who have viewed it, from the ‘Site Activity’ page.

How do I access the ‘Site Activity’ page?

The ‘Site Activity’ page can be accessed from the ‘Site Contents’ page, which is located in the left-hand menu of the SharePoint site. On this page, you can view basic analytics about the file, such as the number of views, the total number of people who have viewed it, and the average time spent on the file. Additionally, you can also view detailed information about who has viewed the file, such as their name, email address, and time spent on the file.

If you do not have the requisite permissions, you may not be able to access this page. In that case, you may need to contact the site owner or administrator in order to gain access to the analytics and reporting features.

How do I access the ‘Audit Log Reports’ feature?

The ‘Audit Log Reports’ feature is located in the ‘Site Settings’ page, which can be accessed by clicking the gear icon in the top-right corner of the SharePoint site. Once you are in the ‘Site Settings’ page, you can click the ‘Audit Log Reports’ link in the left-hand menu. This will open the ‘Audit Log Reports’ page, where you can view detailed reports about who has accessed the file and what actions they have performed on it.

In order to access this feature, you may need additional permissions, depending on your particular site configuration. If you do not have the requisite permissions, you may need to contact the site owner or administrator in order to gain access to the analytics and reporting features.

What information can I get from the ‘Audit Log Reports’ feature?

The ‘Audit Log Reports’ feature allows you to view detailed reports about who has accessed the file and what actions they have performed on it. This includes information such as the user’s name, email address, and the time they spent on the file. Additionally, you can also filter the data based on specific criteria, such as date range, user, and action.

If you do not have the requisite permissions, you may not be able to access this feature. In that case, you may need to contact the site owner or administrator in order to gain access to the analytics and reporting features.

After following the above steps, you should now have a better understanding of how to see who has viewed a file on SharePoint. With this knowledge, you can ensure that the right people have access to your files and have the right level of access at all times. You can also track who has viewed or downloaded a file, giving you peace of mind that the files are secure and used in the proper manner.