How to IMPORT/COPY an Excel file that another user has open

[PaigeMiller]

I have a program that has to read an Excel file from a server for some data. I want to write a program that will run un-attended every day. I can write such a program and it all works properly, except on those days when the program runs and some other user has the Excel file open. PROC IMPORT does not seem to work. Nor does copying the file to my local hard disk (and then I know no one has it open) because my SAS code using FCOPY() won't copy the file when some other user has the Excel file open. So, how can I either IMPORT or COPY an Excel file that another user has open?

[ballardw]

Would it be possible to get a duplicate file made elsewhere by the creation process where you have access, best that no one else has access?

[PaigeMiller]

I don't want to re-engineer the process. I want to use the data set on the server.

[biopharma]

If you haven't already tried, does this solution work? 

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15439507/import-excel-data-into-sas-whilst-spreadsheet-still-ope...

[PaigeMiller]

My bad, I should have mentioned that we run on Windows, there is no such option on Windows. Any other ideas?

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

Can you use x command and do a system copy instead? It may work when an xcopy failed.

[smantha]

You are talking about stuff that system admins have nightmares handling on windows. A user can inadvertently permanently lock an excel file.