By default all cells on a sheet are locked when you protect the sheet.
Best is to select all cells by CTRL + a and unlock all.
Then select those cells which you want locked and set them to locked.
Now protect the sheet. Users can edit unlocked cells.
See options for allowables when go to Tools>Protect Sheet
If you want to edit a locked cell via macro, you must add code to unprotect,
do the stuff, then re-protect.
Sub pasteit()
Activesheet.unprotect password:="mypassword"
code to do things
Activesheet.protect password:="mypassword"
End Sub
Gord