how do i lock individual cells within a worksheet?

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G

Guest

I am able to lock complete worksheets so that they can not be changed but is
there any way that you can leave access to a certain amount of cells while
locking the rest, for example, those with formulas in them that react to
figures inserted by the user?

many thanks.
 
Tony,

With the sheet not protected, use Format - Cells - Protection tab. Uncheck
"Locked" for those cells to be changeable. Now protect the sheet with
Tools - Protection - Protect sheet.
 
Each individual cell has a default format of locked that only comes into effect
when the sheet is protected. Simply format the cells and use the protection tab
to unlock the ones you want to access prior to protecting the sheet.
 
Thank you Ken and Earl for the speedy replies. Amazingly simple once you know
what to do!!!

Mnay Thanks

Tony
 
Hi Earl,

Saw your post and want to ask on how to ungroup a group ranges when it's
protected? This is what i need to do, I have a bunch of tabs for each
department in one worksheet and i don't want unathorized employees reading
specific tabs unless they have the password for it. Once they are in that
tab, they need to ungroup the ranges and after that, they can only edit
specifc ranges and not all.
But unfortunately, i can only protect certain ranges if the worksheet is
protected without using the grouping and ungrouping the data, which means i
have to show confidential informations to other owner of tabs and it's just
that they can only read but not edit.
Is there a way that i can protect the sheet from unathorized reader? Or Is
there a way to unprotect the sheet so that users can use the group and group
function and yet can only edit specific ranges?
Thanks,
MJ
 
I used your instructions below but it removed the formating options for the
rest of the worksheet. This is important since I track changes in red font.
Is there anyway to protect a column of cells, per your instructions below
without the formating options for the rest of the worksheet going away?
 
When enabling the worksheet protection, checkmark allow users to format
cells.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
 
"MJ" wrote:

I would like to be able to do the same in excel. I came to the conclusion I
need a true accounting database software package with a good report writer a
average finance/accounting professional user can use. That is the correct way
to manage security I real database. Excel is a poor Mans Database.
 
I am using a spreadsheet that is protected, but cells that data can be
entered into are unprotected. Is it possible to allow the keyboard tab
function to tab to the next unprotected cell?
 
That is the normal Tabbing behaviour on a protected sheet.

But sequence of tabbing is only left to right then down and left to right
again.

Do you have some other random sequence?


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
 
I saw the question about tabbing behavior. .... "using a spreadsheet that is
protected, but cells that data can be entered into are unprotected. Is it
possible to allow the keyboard tab function to tab to the next unprotected
cell?" Please help because I can't seem to find the answer to this. Thanks!!
 
When sheet is protected the Tab key moves to next unlocked cell.

You decide which cells you want unlocked before you protect the sheet.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
 
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