how do i lock cells in exel

funbox · External Since: Oct 19, 2005 Posts: 1

have done a spread sheet and want to lock multiple cells so they cant be
typed over

Paul B · External Since: Nov 03, 2004 Posts: 1078

funbox,
By default all cells in excel are protected or locked, select the cells you
want to unlock and go to format, cells, protection and uncheck locked, the
go to tools, protection, and protect sheet, enter a password if you want,
now only the cells that you unlocked can be edited. Be aware that this
protection is very easy to break, the code to do so can be found very easy,
but it will work for most people .

If you only need a few locked I would select them all first, Ctrl A, then
go to format, cells, protection and uncheck locked, then select the cells
you want to lock and go to format cells and check locked, the go to tools,
protection, and protect sheet, enter a password if you want, now the cells
that you locked can not be edited

--
Paul B
Always backup your data before trying something new
Please post any response to the newsgroups so others can benefit from it
Feedback on answers is always appreciated!
Using Excel 2002 & 2003

"funbox" <funbox.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F4727D9A-F7B3-4A48-BD5A-E4BCC800AA39@microsoft.com...
> have done a spread sheet and want to lock multiple cells so they cant be
> typed over

jahoobob · External Since: Oct 20, 2005 Posts: 1

Format the cells you want to protect to locked protection and then
protect the worksheet.
You may have to unlock all the cells first:
Select the entire worksheet by left clicking the square in the corner
between 1 and A. Select Format, then the Protection tab, then uncheck
Locked and then OK.
Highlight the cell(s) you want to protect and repeat the above Format
step but make sure the Locked box is checked.
Select Tools, Protection, Protect Sheet, make sure the top box is
checked, enter a password, make sure the first box under the password
is not checked and the second one is and then OK.
To edit the protected cells:
Tools, Protection, Unprotect worrksheet, enter password.
Hope this helps,
Bob
funbox Wrote:
> have done a spread sheet and want to lock multiple cells so they cant
> be
> typed over

--
jahoobob

Sandy · External Since: Mar 21, 2006 Posts: 485

I understand the lock cells feature and have read how to do this and I have
even password protected my locked cells. But, what I don't understand is that
you can actually copy my spreadsheet that is locked into another blank excel
spreadsheet and then you can unhide the columns that you have locked and
protected. This creates a problem for me as I do not want my customer's
seeing my cost on a column that I'm hiding and trying to protect. Any
suggestions?

"Paul B" wrote:

> funbox,
> By default all cells in excel are protected or locked, select the cells you
> want to unlock and go to format, cells, protection and uncheck locked, the
> go to tools, protection, and protect sheet, enter a password if you want,
> now only the cells that you unlocked can be edited. Be aware that this
> protection is very easy to break, the code to do so can be found very easy,
> but it will work for most people .
>
> If you only need a few locked I would select them all first, Ctrl A, then
> go to format, cells, protection and uncheck locked, then select the cells
> you want to lock and go to format cells and check locked, the go to tools,
> protection, and protect sheet, enter a password if you want, now the cells
> that you locked can not be edited
>
>
> --
> Paul B
> Always backup your data before trying something new
> Please post any response to the newsgroups so others can benefit from it
> Feedback on answers is always appreciated!
> Using Excel 2002 & 2003
>
> "funbox" <funbox.DeleteThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F4727D9A-F7B3-4A48-BD5A-E4BCC800AA39@microsoft.com...
> > have done a spread sheet and want to lock multiple cells so they cant be
> > typed over
>
>
>

Gord Dibben · External Since: Feb 23, 2004 Posts: 9178

Aside from users being able to copy the cells to another sheet or workbook
they could also simply link to those hidden data by opening a new workbook
or inserting a sheet and entering linked formulas to that sheet

The only real solution is....................

If you don't want them to see it, don't include it in the workbook.

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:51:03 -0800, Sandy <Sandy.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:

>I understand the lock cells feature and have read how to do this and I have
>even password protected my locked cells. But, what I don't understand is that
>you can actually copy my spreadsheet that is locked into another blank excel
>spreadsheet and then you can unhide the columns that you have locked and
>protected. This creates a problem for me as I do not want my customer's
>seeing my cost on a column that I'm hiding and trying to protect. Any
>suggestions?
>
>
>
>"Paul B" wrote:
>
>> funbox,
>> By default all cells in excel are protected or locked, select the cells you
>> want to unlock and go to format, cells, protection and uncheck locked, the
>> go to tools, protection, and protect sheet, enter a password if you want,
>> now only the cells that you unlocked can be edited. Be aware that this
>> protection is very easy to break, the code to do so can be found very easy,
>> but it will work for most people .
>>
>> If you only need a few locked I would select them all first, Ctrl A, then
>> go to format, cells, protection and uncheck locked, then select the cells
>> you want to lock and go to format cells and check locked, the go to tools,
>> protection, and protect sheet, enter a password if you want, now the cells
>> that you locked can not be edited
>>
>>
>> --
>> Paul B
>> Always backup your data before trying something new
>> Please post any response to the newsgroups so others can benefit from it
>> Feedback on answers is always appreciated!
>> Using Excel 2002 & 2003
>>
>> "funbox" <funbox.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:F4727D9A-F7B3-4A48-BD5A-E4BCC800AA39@microsoft.com...
>> > have done a spread sheet and want to lock multiple cells so they cant be
>> > typed over
>>
>>
>>

Faiyaz · External Since: Oct 28, 2009 Posts: 1

"funbox" wrote:

I have done a spread sheet with AUTO FILTER but after locking multiple cells
the Auto Filter does not work. How I can lonk multiple cells using auto
filter?

Gord Dibben · External Since: Feb 23, 2004 Posts: 9178

You must unlock the contiguous range which you want to filter.

You must set the Autofilter to enabled before protecting the sheet with
"Allow users to" Use Autofilter.

Or you can use code to unprotect, do the filtering then reprotect.

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:15:01 -0700, Faiyaz
<Faiyaz.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>
>
>"funbox" wrote:
>
>I have done a spread sheet with AUTO FILTER but after locking multiple cells
>the Auto Filter does not work. How I can lonk multiple cells using auto
>filter?