Page 238 - Excel Workbook for Dummies

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Chapter 17

Protecting the

Spreadsheet

In This Chapter
Assigning a password to open a workbook
Assigning a password to make editing changes in a workbook
Protecting a worksheet and determining which actions are enabled
Protecting the entire workbook
Doing data entry in the unlocked cells of a protected worksheet

xcel enables you to secure your work on two levels: protecting the workbook file so
Ethat only the people you entrust with the password can open the file to view, print, or
edit the data, and protecting the worksheets in a workbook from unwarranted changes so
that only people with that password can modify the contents and design of the spreadsheet.
In this chapter, you get the chance to practice securing your Excel workbooks and work-
sheets on both these levels. In addition, you get the opportunity to experience doing data
entry in a protected spreadsheet in which all your movements and edits are automatically
restricted to the unlocked cells where such changes are allowed.

Password-Protecting the Workbook

By password-protecting the workbook, you can prevent unauthorized users from opening the
workbook and editing it. You set a password for opening the workbook file when it contains
spreadsheets whose data are of a sufficiently sensitive nature that only a certain group of
people in the company should have access to them (such as spreadsheets dealing with per-
sonnel information and salaries). Of course, after you set a password for opening a work-
book, you must supply this password to those people who need access to it in order for
them to be able to open the file.
You set a password for modifying the workbook when you’re dealing with spreadsheets
whose data needs to be viewed and printed by different users, none of whom are authorized
to make changes to any of the entries. For example, after a workbook has been through a
complete editing and review cycle and all of the suggested changes have been merged, you
might assign a password for modifying it to those who have the authority to do so before dis-
tributing it company-wide.