How to Configure SharePoint Check-In and Check-Out in ReplaceMagic

SharePoint Check-In/Check-Out Configuration

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When ReplaceMagic modifies documents stored on SharePoint, it can automatically manage document check-out (locking the document before changes) and check-in (releasing it after changes, creating a new version). This prevents conflicts with users who may be editing the same documents simultaneously.

Depending on SharePoint configuration might be required that ReplaceMagic needs to check-out/check-in documents which will be scanned or where ReplaceMagic will make replacements. Of course, ReplaceMagic can do that...

First step is to do configuration of SharePoint parameters for ReplaceMagic. Configuration can be found under Configuration button which is in main ReplaceMagic form:



When Configuration form is opened go to SharePoint Configuration tab:



SharePoint Check-in/Check-out setting is controlled over parameter "Should ReplaceMagic check-in/check-out documents?". By setting this parameter ReplaceMagic will check-out and then later check-in accessed documents.

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Main drivers for ReplaceMagic (beside to fix your documents) were:

Why Check-In / Check-Out Matters

When ReplaceMagic modifies a document stored on SharePoint, other users might be editing the same file simultaneously. Enabling check-out causes ReplaceMagic to lock the document before it makes any changes, preventing conflicts with concurrent edits. Once the replacement is complete, ReplaceMagic checks the document back in, releasing the lock and creating a new version in SharePoint's version history. Without this setting, a save operation may fail silently if another user or process has the file checked out.

Configuration Location

Open the Configuration button on the main ReplaceMagic form, then navigate to the SharePoint tab. The setting is labelled "Should ReplaceMagic check-out/check-in documents?". Enable this toggle before running any replacement against a SharePoint library where versioning or mandatory check-out is enforced.

What Happens When Enabled

With check-in / check-out enabled, ReplaceMagic checks out each document before processing it, applies the search and replace changes, then checks it back in with a configurable check-in comment. The comment appears in the SharePoint version history and can be set to something descriptive such as "Link repair by ReplaceMagic" so that administrators and auditors can identify which versions were modified during a migration run.

What Happens When Disabled

When check-in / check-out is disabled, ReplaceMagic saves changes directly to the document without acquiring a checkout lock. This is faster but may cause failures if the document is already checked out by another user — in that case the document will be skipped and reported in the Additional Info tab.

Versioning and Publishing

If SharePoint versioning is enabled on the library, each check-in by ReplaceMagic creates a new minor version by default. For libraries that use major and minor versions, you can configure ReplaceMagic to publish a major version instead. Additionally, enable the "Keep published status" option alongside check-in / check-out to ensure that documents which were previously published as major versions remain visible to end users after the repair run completes.

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