2 files with the same name but different format

Hello Charlie Martharper,

If the files have the same name but different formats (for example, Report.docx and Report.pdf), they can coexist without any issue. SharePoint, OneDrive, and similar storage services treat them as two separate files, so no (1) is added in this case. The (1) only appears when you upload a file with the same name and the same extension as an existing one.

A very common and recommended approach is exactly what you described: you continue working on the Word file (Report.docx), and whenever there’s a new version, you export or save it as a PDF and upload the PDF again, replacing the old one. This way, the Word file remains editable, and the PDF always reflects the latest approved or shared version.

If versioning is enabled in the library, overwriting the PDF will also keep the version history, so you won’t lose previous PDF versions.

Additionally, you may want to try uploading both files on your side to see if you encounter any unexpected behavior. If anything looks off, feel free to let me know and I’ll be happy to support you further. For example, please see below image

In short, using the same name with different formats is perfectly fine, there’s no (1) issue, and yes, update the Word file first, then re‑upload or replace the PDF when needed.

I hope this information is helpful. If you have any other questions or are unsure about anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.

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