SharePoint “Cancel Checkout” permissions

When you’re working with item-level permissions in SharePoint, you will see this message in advanced settings:

“Note: Users with the Cancel Checkout permission can read and edit all items.”

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Here’s how to check to see if a group or individual has that cancel checkout permission, or add it if needed:

By default, the permissions levels boxed in red below (Full Control, Design, Approve & Manage Hierarchy) include the “cancel checkout” permission, otherwise known as “override list behaviors” permission. You’d assign this permission level to managers or admins that need to see every item in a list or library regardless of item-level permissions set by workflow or advanced settings.

permission levels cancel checkout.png

To see if the right groups have one of these permissions already:

  1. Check your list or library’s permissions (List settings –> Permissions for this list)
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    chrome_2018-09-02_08-32-13.png
  2. Look at the “permission levels” column to see what level was granted to each group.
    chrome_2018-09-02_08-25-37.png

If you have a custom permissions group, or want to create or edit a permissions group:

  1. Go to to Permission Levels (Settings –> Site Settings –> Site permissions –> Permission levels).
    2018-09-02_08-28-08.gif
  2. Click the name of the group you’d like to modify or click “Add a Permission Level”
  3. If you want that permission level to have cancel checkout make sure you check “override list behaviors”. If unchecked, users will not see all items.
    override list behaviors.png

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