I have created a spreadsheet where confidential information is entered by
managers about other managers. When a manager opens it, it is programmed to
filter out any entries about that manager by using his/her Windows login
name. This prevents them from reading entries made about themselves.

I discovered through experimentation that managers could circumvent this
filter by choosing the Advanced Filter option under the Data menu, so I
disabled it with more programming. When the user closes Excel, my programming
re-enables it.

Then I discovered that anyone could open Excel to a new workbook and add the
Advanced Filter button to an existing or new toolbar. Then, when they opened
the confidential workbook, that button is readily available to them.

Is there a way to check for the existence of the Advanced Filter button (on
any toolbar) upon opening this workbook and disabling it until they close it?
Thanks!
--
Steve C

There are a hundred other ways to defeat what you are doing. The easiest is
to just disable macros when the workbook is open. In fact, if you haven't
certified the workbook and security is set to high (in Excel 2002 and 2003),
the managers are already seeing their entries and not even knowing they are
not supposed to since the macros are being disabled without any
warning/notification to the user.

If you are going to give a workbook to someone, plan on them having access
to all the information within. You need to physically remove the information
if you don't want it viewed.

--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy


"Steve C" wrote:

> I have created a spreadsheet where confidential information is entered by
> managers about other managers. When a manager opens it, it is programmed to
> filter out any entries about that manager by using his/her Windows login
> name. This prevents them from reading entries made about themselves.
>
> I discovered through experimentation that managers could circumvent this
> filter by choosing the Advanced Filter option under the Data menu, so I
> disabled it with more programming. When the user closes Excel, my programming
> re-enables it.
>
> Then I discovered that anyone could open Excel to a new workbook and add the
> Advanced Filter button to an existing or new toolbar. Then, when they opened
> the confidential workbook, that button is readily available to them.
>
> Is there a way to check for the existence of the Advanced Filter button (on
> any toolbar) upon opening this workbook and disabling it until they close it?
> Thanks!
> --
> Steve C

The way I defeated disabling macros was to display an instructions sheet on
how to enable macros if they didn't (the manager's comments sheet is hidden
upon opening, and only displays if macros are enabled). If enabled, the
entries for that manager are already hidden by the time that sheet displays
its entries.

I realized going into this that there likely would be a number of ways to
defeat the "security" I programmed into it. Via programming, I'm just trying
to account for the more obvious ones that our managers might think of.

Out of curiosity, is there a way to detect the existence of a button on a
toolbar?

Thanks,

-- Steve C


"Tom Ogilvy" wrote:

> There are a hundred other ways to defeat what you are doing. The easiest is
> to just disable macros when the workbook is open. In fact, if you haven't
> certified the workbook and security is set to high (in Excel 2002 and 2003),
> the managers are already seeing their entries and not even knowing they are
> not supposed to since the macros are being disabled without any
> warning/notification to the user.
>
> If you are going to give a workbook to someone, plan on them having access
> to all the information within. You need to physically remove the information
> if you don't want it viewed.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Tom Ogilvy
>
>
> "Steve C" wrote:
>
> > I have created a spreadsheet where confidential information is entered by
> > managers about other managers. When a manager opens it, it is programmed to
> > filter out any entries about that manager by using his/her Windows login
> > name. This prevents them from reading entries made about themselves.
> >
> > I discovered through experimentation that managers could circumvent this
> > filter by choosing the Advanced Filter option under the Data menu, so I
> > disabled it with more programming. When the user closes Excel, my programming
> > re-enables it.
> >
> > Then I discovered that anyone could open Excel to a new workbook and add the
> > Advanced Filter button to an existing or new toolbar. Then, when they opened
> > the confidential workbook, that button is readily available to them.
> >
> > Is there a way to check for the existence of the Advanced Filter button (on
> > any toolbar) upon opening this workbook and disabling it until they close it?
> > Thanks!
> > --
> > Steve C