Condsider to use the password to protect the specified cells in the
worksheets rather than to use the data validation. Other users cannot modify
the protected cells without the valid password, message box will also be
shown to the users notifying that the cell is protected.

"dcb1" wrote:

I have a lot of different areas on my spreadsheet that can't be
changed. I don't want the user to change it. I defined the Name
BLANK with a empty cell. I then went to Data Validation; Settings and
under validation criteria I chose Custom. I entered =BLANK for the
formula. I also gave an error message to notify the user that the
field is restricted and can't be changed. I have these validations in
case the user would unprotect the worksheet. While this works, I
would like to know if there is another way to do this?