How to prevent viewing of workbook

[Guest]

Ladies and Gentlemen: I cannot determine via Help for Excel 2000 how to prevent the viewing (display) of a xls workbook upon opening the file. This is NOT a shared workbook. I want to be the only person to view and edit this file. It has three worksheets; they're not grouped. Surely there's a solution as simple as preventing the opening of a WORD document: set a password and upon opening the document, before the display of the file contents, the user is prompted for a password (which only I know of course). In Word this protection is retained from each save/close to each reopen (i.e. I'm always prompted for a password and I'm not toggling the protection). In Excel however, when I go to Tools > Protection > Protect Workbook, I am presented with the window, Protect Workbook. It defaults with Structure checked and Windows unchecked. I have tried each configuration with a password. I get very inconsistent results! I can handle the toggling, but for some reason sometimes the file opens with the workbook displayed, not requiring any password to view it, and other times it "works" (i.e. it's not displayed but when I "unprotect workbook" it displays. I do not want to enforce any control of editing of any part of the workbook - once it's opened it should be entirely editable. This simple protection is confounding. What am I missing?!

 

[Rockee052]

Hi,

Have you tried going to [Files] -> SaveAs -> Tools -> General Option
-> Password to open...?

Rockee Freema

 

[Guest]

Yes! I got it. A misunderstanding of the Help instructions (which were difficult to find more than once!) and yet another attempt via FILE > SAVE AS route (totally bypassing the TOOLS > PROTECTION > PROTECT WORKBOOK route) produced the password protection i wanted for preventing the display of the workbook without a password. HOW TO: Go to FILE > SAVE AS and on the "Save As" window click on the "Tools" menu option in top right of form! Then select "General Options." The "Save Options" window launches and in the "File Sharing - Password to open:" field, enter your password. Clicking OK will launch the "Confirm Password" window, where you enter the same password and click OK. This works.

 

[Guest]

Rockee, thank you... I somehow misunderstood that the Tools menu item that the Help instructions referenced were on the Save As window (I tried the Tools menu item on the excel spreadsheet!). Sometimes it's those "little" user errors that are so frustrating! I suppose knowing Word's password protection via the Tools > Options route was what affected my thinking. Thanks again.