Thread: Locking Excel worksheets from view?

Not sure if it can be done. You can hide a sheet (but it can be unhidden) or lock cells or the whole sheet from editing.

What I'd suggest is have 3 workbooks with a single sheet in each one for each group and have a 4th one which links to these three for you charting etc.

Originally Posted by dm_td5

Not sure if it can be done. You can hide a sheet (but it can be unhidden) or lock cells or the whole sheet from editing.

What I'd suggest is have 3 workbooks with a single sheet in each one for each group and have a 4th one which links to these three for you charting etc.

thanks dm_td5, that was my other thought although thaat would mean 3 separate fiels and then there is the problem of linking those onto 1 single file........how is this done?

Ideally i would like 1 data entry point for each branch and the information to automatically collate for the group..........hoping i am not asking too much of Excel.

thanks again, Mick

Are you planning to send the same file from one branch to the next with each one inputting data before forwarding?
If not, then dm_td5's suggestion is probably best. If you would rather not link the files, you can copy worksheets and collate them into one workbook in which you do your calculations.
What you want to do is possible if you use Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). On opening the sheet a window can be made to appear into which the user enters their credentials. Based on the result, you can then have the spreadsheet hide/lock appropriate sheets. Not the 'click an option' solution that you were probably looking for but it would certainly work.

Once you get into VBA you'll realize that there's alot more to Excel (and all Office apps for that matter!)

Originally Posted by MickG

thanks dm_td5, that was my other thought although thaat would mean 3 separate fiels and then there is the problem of linking those onto 1 single file........how is this done?

Ideally i would like 1 data entry point for each branch and the information to automatically collate for the group..........hoping i am not asking too much of Excel.

thanks again, Mick

You can link sheets from other workbooks into one using formula's in the cells. Best thing is to read up on linking spreadsheets in the help, very straight forward.

The VBA option is also quiet viable but if you haven't programmed before I would recommend the linking option

nothing in excel is secure in any way shape or form..

there are freely available tools that cost nothing that will get you into anything in office...

Hey Mick,

As Inc has said there is probably easy ways for people to unlock or get past any of the security but it is easy to hide and password protect a sheet within the file. Have the sheet you want to hide open, select Format>Sheet>Hide. Once hidden select Tools>Protection>Protect Workbook and put in a password. Once the workbook is protected the unhide sheet option is not available. Inc would be more of an expert on breaking this protection but if you dont think the people you are sending it too are going to go to the effort of getting around this then the simple option you requested is available. Give me a call anytime

Originally Posted by incisor

nothing in excel is secure in any way shape or form..

there are freely available tools that cost nothing that will get you into anything in office...

Check out the encyption levels of password protection offered post MSOffice 97. Yes there are tools that will brute force their way to the passwords, but they can take months. One of the biggest issues I've had is with people password protecting their documents and spreadsheets and forgetting what it was Access database passwords are, on the other hand, very unsecure!

Thanks guys

No real security issues as I am only sending the files to some of my staff who at the end of the day would not be that interested in seeing the other sheets, but if they did, no great loss......although would still like to hide. Very sure they would not have the know how or patience to hack the passwords.

Also trying to expand my knowledge of Excel through this process as I use it everyday now and realise I only use a fraction of it's capabilities.

Also as pointed out, there is already a fundamental flaw in what I am trying to do - which is have one data entry point for each branch - this would not work as I would have to pass the file round each office for all to update or set it up on a server type set up, but then that's a whole other kettle of fish.

Anyway, have managed to figure out how to hide a sheet - cheers stikman - and tomorrow is set down for a bit of light Excel reading from the Microsoft help section.

Appreciate everyone's input once again as I fumble through some IT essentials.

Aye, Mick