When someone in your org has an edit lock on a property and won't release it (closed their browser, went to lunch, dropped network), an admin can force-unlock the property to take over. This page is the procedure and the trade-offs.
When to force unlock
- The lock holder is clearly idle — they're not responding on chat, they've gone home, etc.
- The lock hasn't released on its own. Locks normally release after about 5 minutes without activity in the holder's browser, or within 15 minutes if their browser closed or lost connection.
- You need to edit the property and waiting isn't an option.
If they're at their desk but just not actively typing, don't force unlock — talk to them first.
Steps
- Open the section of the property you want to edit (for example, Basic Info or Units).
- Confirm the header names who has the lock ("[Name] is editing").
- (Recommended) Message, email, or text them to confirm they've walked away.
- Click Force Unlock next to that notice. On other property pages, such as Documents, the notice is a floating badge in the bottom corner with an Unlock button.
There's no confirmation step — the lock is released immediately. The previous holder can no longer save any pending edits.
What gets discarded
- Their unsaved changes in the save bar — gone; they can't be saved once the lock is released.
- Their session lock — released.
Their already-saved edits (anything they clicked Save on before walking away) are unaffected.
Audit trail
Force unlocks don't create an entry in Version history, so let your teammate know when you've used it.
Permission
Force-unlock is admin-only. Members don't see the button. See Roles for the full permission breakdown.
What if I'm an admin and I hold a stuck lock
The Force Unlock button only appears for someone else's lock. Close any other browser tab or window where you have the property open — closing it releases your lock — or wait for it to expire (within 15 minutes). If neither works (very rare), contact support and we'll release it server-side.
Best practices
- Don't force unlock without checking. A discarded edit is real lost work for your teammate.
- Save often. Your own edits are at risk if someone force-unlocks you. The save bar is a 1-click commit; use it.
- Communicate. "I'm in [property] for the next hour" on your team chat avoids most of these situations.