Metadata for this photo has been changed by another application

[lizd11415324]

My editor is getting the "metadata for this photo has been changed by another application" message on a few images. She is using a PC and I am using a Mac.  We are also moving files from LR to PS and back.  Do you think that could be the issue?  If so, should I have her "import settings from disk"?  Or "overwrite"... which I am leaning away from.  

[dj_paige]

I think we would need a more complete description of your workflow with two people on two different computers before we could say definitively what the right choice is.

[lizd11415324]

Workflow

1. I edit my sneak peek in LR and then bring all the images over to PS to hand paint various actions.  I save them back to LR as TIFs. 

2.  I edit my entire catalog in LR.  

3.  I send my catalog to my editor as a LR file.  She uses my TIFs as a reference (and notes) to do the PS edits on all the LR files.  
This is where she is seeing the metadate error message.

4.  She sends me back TIFs only. 

5.  I upload the TIFs back into my LR catalog for export as JPGs. 

[DdeGannes]

@lizd11415324 , you stated, "3.  I send my catalog to my editor as a LR file.  She uses my TIFs as a reference (and notes) to do the PS edits on all the LR files.  
This is where she is seeing the metadate error message."

Explain what you actually do, A Lightroom Classic Catalog is a data based file and does not contain any image files it only contains data which includes the edits you have applied in Lightroom?

[SeanMcCormack]

If your editor is sending back finished files that need no further settings from you in Lightroom, I'd read from disk. If the files are edited and replaced, but you want your Lightroom settings applied to the edits Tiffs, I'd overwrite. 

Note that even if you choose to read metadata from the disk where you've overwritten a file on which you have replaced (swapped the old Tiff for a new one), you can still step back in history to get your settings applied. 

But as per my first lines, if your editor is supplying final deliverables, import settings from disk.