Depends on what you're doing.

Somethings code can do that the user can't -- if you protect the worksheet in
code.

Option Explicit
Sub auto_open()
With Worksheets("sheet1")
.Protect Password:="hi", userinterfaceonly:=True
End With
End Sub

I used the Auto_Open procedure (in a General module) because excel doesn't
remember this setting. It has to be run each time the workbook is opened--or at
least before you can expect your code to do something to that protected
worksheet.

But there are some things that even the code can't do and you have to use what
you're using now.

DFS wrote:

I'm building a fairly locked-down Excel system (no sorting, no insert/delete
rows, lots of locked cells, etc) that will find its way into the hands of
end-users, and I'm finding most operations are requiring me to turn
protection off, then run the routine, then turn protection back on.

Is there a better way?

--

Dave Peterson