Microsoft has added a new feature to help users co-author files.  Whether you are for or against this feature is not my point here: it needs Excel's AutoSave switched on to work.  That's fine.  But it shouldn't be the default.  It is accepted that Office is trying to make various apps consistent, but Excel is used differently.  What makes it the most popular software in the world is the ability to experiment without consequences.

Made a mistake?  No fear, close without saving and re-open.  Accidentally delete a sheet?  Don't worry, close without saving and re-open.  Replaced all formulae with =RAND()? Etc etc.

For those working in the Cloud, yes you can restore earlier versions - when it works.  But many don't.  And some can't (no internet, company policies, etc.).

What does the new setting mean?  Make a mistake?  You're stuffed.   Fed up of re-doing files?  Tough.  Where is my earlier version of Excel?  I will go back to it and to heck with Office 365.   Yes, AutoSave as the default is going to hurt people.  Including Microsoft's strategies to adopt O365.

It's not often we take action.  We are pretty apathetic here apparently (...).  But this is really going to hurt.  So we have put a request up on www.excel.uservoice.com.  Please vote for this.  All we want is a master switch where the default setting for AutoSave is off, so if things go wrong, you only have yourselves to blame.   It's not asking too much, is it..?

Don't vote when you have realised why it's a good idea, do it now so you don't pay the consequences. Please... For all our sakes!! The link to our request is here.  And yes, Liam knows about his typo (oops)...