GraphPad Prism and Microsoft SharePoint Compatibility
Known Compatibility Issues
Users working with Microsoft SharePoint encounter several limitations when using GraphPad Prism files in that environment:
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Prism graphs embedded or linked in PowerPoint or Word files lose their linking functionality when the files are uploaded to SharePoint or opened via SharePoint Online. Double-clicking on an embedded graph does not open the associated Prism file.
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Prism files opened directly from SharePoint open in read-only mode and cannot be saved back to SharePoint.
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SharePoint Online does not recognize Prism files, making it impossible to open or edit Prism graphs embedded in SharePoint-hosted Office documents.
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There is no available file handler or direct integration that allows Prism files to be opened and saved directly within SharePoint Online.
Why Does the Issue Occur?
There are two distinct underlying causes:
Linked and embedded graphs: SharePoint does not support OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) objects. The ability to open a Prism file by clicking on a linked or embedded graph in an Office document relies on OLE functionality. Because SharePoint lacks this support, the linking breaks when an Office file is uploaded to or opened through SharePoint.
Read-only files: Prism does not use an API to connect with SharePoint. As a result, when a Prism file is accessed directly from SharePoint, the application cannot write back to the SharePoint location, and the file is opened in read-only mode.
What Are the Workarounds?
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If a PowerPoint file containing linked Prism graphs is shared via Microsoft Teams and opened through SharePoint, the links will not function. However, downloading the file locally restores the linking functionality. This workaround may not be practical in collaborative workflows where multiple users need to edit the same file simultaneously.
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No workaround is currently available for opening and editing Prism files directly from SharePoint, or for using Prism graphs embedded in SharePoint-hosted Word or PowerPoint files.
Is There a Fix?
At this time, there is no fix available. Because SharePoint is not a product developed or maintained by GraphPad, the OLE limitation cannot be addressed from the Prism side. Implementing direct SharePoint integration would require Prism to adopt the SharePoint API which may be considered for future updates to the application.