I am trying to design a file for use by three different departments. The
columns will be named as steps in a process, and different of the departments
are responsible for filling in the information for different steps. I want
the file to be secure in the sense that only the department which is
responsible for their pieces of information is able to fill in that
information. I am thinking of the following setup.

Three separate tabs, each with the same header information on top, with the
pieces of information from one department, linking into the other sheets. So
if Dept. 1 fills in columns 1-3, and then dept. 2 fills in 4-5, and so on,
then for those first sets (as example), I am thinking of having unlocked
cells on Dept.1's tab in columns 1-3, then locking the other columns, but
having those columns feed off of what Dept.2's tab has in 4 and 5. For
Dept.2, the first three columns would be direct links to Dept.1's tab, and so
as soon as Dept.1 fills in something, Dept.2 would have columns 4-5 (which
would be unlocked for them) to fill in, to supplement the data put in by
Dept.1. And so on for all departments that are involved, and for all columns
of data that need filling. Then I'd lock the sheets with a password unique
to each dept.

If anyone has a better way of handling this sort of situation (this is a
temporary fix), please let me know.
--
Boris

Password protection is not very secure in Excel. Why do the departments
need to see what other departments have filled in? Is one department's
data entry dependent on another department's? If not, then why not just
give each department their own file with a single sheet in it, then
when they are completed and returned to you then you can merge them
together in the way you are planning now.

Hope this helps.

Pete

Let me clarify the challening part. I need each department to be able to get
into the file, which will have all sheet tabs there, but only be able to
write on the tabs that are theirs. In other words, I want a way to
effectively allow viewing of a locked sheet tab for only certain eyes. Is
there a way to enable security in such a way that upon entering the workbook,
and entering a particular password, only one of several views will appear?
And then if someone else enters a different password, a different view will
appear?
--
Boris


"BorisS" wrote:

I am trying to design a file for use by three different departments. The
columns will be named as steps in a process, and different of the departments
are responsible for filling in the information for different steps. I want
the file to be secure in the sense that only the department which is
responsible for their pieces of information is able to fill in that
information. I am thinking of the following setup.

Three separate tabs, each with the same header information on top, with the
pieces of information from one department, linking into the other sheets. So
if Dept. 1 fills in columns 1-3, and then dept. 2 fills in 4-5, and so on,
then for those first sets (as example), I am thinking of having unlocked
cells on Dept.1's tab in columns 1-3, then locking the other columns, but
having those columns feed off of what Dept.2's tab has in 4 and 5. For
Dept.2, the first three columns would be direct links to Dept.1's tab, and so
as soon as Dept.1 fills in something, Dept.2 would have columns 4-5 (which
would be unlocked for them) to fill in, to supplement the data put in by
Dept.1. And so on for all departments that are involved, and for all columns
of data that need filling. Then I'd lock the sheets with a password unique
to each dept.

If anyone has a better way of handling this sort of situation (this is a
temporary fix), please let me know.
--
Boris

You can certainly manipulate a workbook anyway you want with a macro based
on an entered password, etc. But you do so at the leave of the user, who
can decide whether to let your macros run or not. If not, then users will
see the 'default look' or however it was when the last user saved. If
you're trying to design a secure system with Excel you should forget about
it, but if you can convince users to let your macros run then the macros can
do what you want.

If you have Excel 2002 or 2003 another approach is to use the Tools,
Protection, Allow Users To Edit Ranges feature in conjunction with worksheet
protection. This requires no macros and should be easy to implement. It's
also not secure however since it's easy for someone who really wants to to
break sheet protection.

--
Jim
"BorisS" wrote in message
...
| Let me clarify the challening part. I need each department to be able to
get
| into the file, which will have all sheet tabs there, but only be able to
| write on the tabs that are theirs. In other words, I want a way to
| effectively allow viewing of a locked sheet tab for only certain eyes. Is
| there a way to enable security in such a way that upon entering the
workbook,
| and entering a particular password, only one of several views will appear?
| And then if someone else enters a different password, a different view
will
| appear?
| --
| Boris
|
|
| "BorisS" wrote:
|
| I am trying to design a file for use by three different departments.
The
| columns will be named as steps in a process, and different of the
departments
| are responsible for filling in the information for different steps. I
want
| the file to be secure in the sense that only the department which is
| responsible for their pieces of information is able to fill in that
| information. I am thinking of the following setup.
|
| Three separate tabs, each with the same header information on top, with
the
| pieces of information from one department, linking into the other
sheets. So
| if Dept. 1 fills in columns 1-3, and then dept. 2 fills in 4-5, and so
on,
| then for those first sets (as example), I am thinking of having unlocked
| cells on Dept.1's tab in columns 1-3, then locking the other columns,
but
| having those columns feed off of what Dept.2's tab has in 4 and 5. For
| Dept.2, the first three columns would be direct links to Dept.1's tab,
and so
| as soon as Dept.1 fills in something, Dept.2 would have columns 4-5
(which
| would be unlocked for them) to fill in, to supplement the data put in by
| Dept.1. And so on for all departments that are involved, and for all
columns
| of data that need filling. Then I'd lock the sheets with a password
unique
| to each dept.
|
| If anyone has a better way of handling this sort of situation (this is a
| temporary fix), please let me know.
| --
| Boris

Problem is that the process we are tracking Excel with requires one
department to enter data, then the next department, then the next, and so on.
And while that happens for one item, the first department also adds new
items to the list. So at any time, there are multiple people filling in
information along the responsibility chain of process flow.

This would be much better in Access, but they don't have that. Not sure if
they have the latest Excel, but maybe the regions of cells approach could
work.
--
Boris


"Pete_UK" wrote:

Password protection is not very secure in Excel. Why do the departments
need to see what other departments have filled in? Is one department's
data entry dependent on another department's? If not, then why not just
give each department their own file with a single sheet in it, then
when they are completed and returned to you then you can merge them
together in the way you are planning now.

Hope this helps.

Pete