Excel® 2010 Workbook for Dummies®

Chapter 18. 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

Excel enables you to secure your work on two levels:

• Protect the workbook file so that only the people you entrust with the password can open the file to view, print, or edit the data

• Protect 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 worksheets 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 personnel information and salaries). Of course, after you set a password for opening a workbook, you must supply this password to those people ...