Force members to save document with new name

How about saving the document as a Word template (*.dotx) and making the template available instead of the original document?

Double-clicking a template creates a new document based on that template.

As Hans suggested, using a true template (*.dotx) is the best approach. Word will create an untitled document and force the user to save it to disk.

That does not seem to work for me. I've done what you've suggested and saved it to our SharePoint site as a template with the .dotx extension. However, when I open the document from the SharePoint site or from Teams, it still opens with the original file name. On the other hand, if I open it from the local folder which is synced with the site, it opens as 'Document1'- which is what we want to happen. Should this be happening? If not, suggestions?

Apparently this works differently on SharePoint. I can't help with that, sorry.

Hi Mike,

while you setting their access to 'Can View' permission, SharePoint Online will set their 'Read' Permission Level.

'Read' Permission Level means Can view pages and list items and download documents. can view it either in Office Web App on the server (in the browser), or in Office client on his computer.

• Can you setting their access to 'Can View' permission in other Teams Sharepoint site, whether Office app can open the file or not?

• Should you check the 'Read' Permission Level default setting of SharePoint site?

1. Navigate to your SharePoint Online site >> Click on Settings gear >> choose Site Settings. (Site Permissions >> Advanced Permissions Settings in Modern sites).

2. Click on the Site Permissions link on the Site Settings page >> Click on Permission Levels from the ribbon.

3. open Read Permission Levels , check the default setting as bellow

 Best Regard,

So I've followed your steps and the Read Permission Levels are already set as you suggested. That being so, if I change the Team Site permission to 'Can View', they will be able to open the document from Teams to their desktop and be forced to rename it? e.g., it won't open or be able to be saved with original document name.

Hi Mike,

The simply way is make the file Check out :Check out, check in, or discard changes to files in a SharePoint library - Microsoft Support

you should try the Check out method at first.

Best Regards

Just pointing out to future readers of this that the problem here is SharePoint and its treatment of Word Templates. SharePoint, to some extent simply ignores the features/characteristics of templates.