I have several templates that contain a macro which automatically puts the
user name and territory they are assigned into the appropriate cells for
identifying the individual that creates a worksheet when it is opened, then
locks the worksheet. The worksheets are sent into the head office monthly for
review and electronic filing.

Is it possible to protect the user name cell if someone knows the password
to unprotect the overall sheet? Some of the templates were created in Excel
2000 and converted to 2003. We are curreently running 2003. After the
worksheet is created and saved we do not want another person opening the
worksheet to alter the data in the name or territory cells.

Thanks in advance

scruffy

You could protect the worksheet with a random password created by the
macro. If you do that, though, you may want to hide that password
somewhere in the spreadsheet (perhaps on an unused sheet) so that the
sheet can be unprotected if it's really necessary.

Sure, but it's not worth the trouble:

Visit JE McGimpsey's site:
http://mcgimpsey.com/excel/removepwords.html

Mark Lincoln wrote:

You could protect the worksheet with a random password created by the
macro. If you do that, though, you may want to hide that password
somewhere in the spreadsheet (perhaps on an unused sheet) so that the
sheet can be unprotected if it's really necessary.

--

Dave Peterson

Mark, thanks for the suggestion - I'll use that method a few other templates
that the IT division manages. The main trouble in this situation is that the
Office Manager of that particular Division needs the ability to modify the
territory locations\assignments and therefore must be able to unlock the
template to change cell data.

I tried to get the password for individual cells to work automatically in a
macro but it always bombed out when the sheet password was reapplied.

"Mark Lincoln" wrote:

You could protect the worksheet with a random password created by the
macro. If you do that, though, you may want to hide that password
somewhere in the spreadsheet (perhaps on an unused sheet) so that the
sheet can be unprotected if it's really necessary.

Thanks for the site info Dave, I checked out the site and it answered a lot
of what I was wondering about - I think we'll be better off keeping it as is.

scruffy

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

Sure, but it's not worth the trouble:

Visit JE McGimpsey's site:
http://mcgimpsey.com/excel/removepwords.html

Mark Lincoln wrote:

You could protect the worksheet with a random password created by the
macro. If you do that, though, you may want to hide that password
somewhere in the spreadsheet (perhaps on an unused sheet) so that the
sheet can be unprotected if it's really necessary.

--

Dave Peterson

Sure, but it's not worth the trouble

It does keep out users who are a little too curious but aren't really
Excel- or computer-savvy and thus wouldn't know where to look, or could
figure what to do with McGimpsey's code if they did find it. I deal
with a lot of those. Passwords - random and otherwise - are my
friends. :-)

I don't see too much benefit in the random password--if you use an uncommon one
instead.

Heck, I protect many worksheets with no passwords. It keeps out most people
with just that.

Mark Lincoln wrote:

Sure, but it's not worth the trouble

It does keep out users who are a little too curious but aren't really
Excel- or computer-savvy and thus wouldn't know where to look, or could
figure what to do with McGimpsey's code if they did find it. I deal
with a lot of those. Passwords - random and otherwise - are my
friends. :-)

--

Dave Peterson

I don't see too much benefit in the random
password--if you use an uncommon one
instead.

I like to use random passwords for read-only copies of workbooks. These
are so some people can look up information without being able to change
it. A random password keeps me from being forced to allow editing by
someone with a little too much power and not enough sense (or
scruples). Hey, it's random, I can't begin to guess it - right? (I just
love office politics.)

Heck, I protect many worksheets with no
passwords. It keeps out most people
with just that.

Good point; I often do that as well. It just depends on what a workbook
is designed to do and who gets to use it.