Cannot lock/protect Merge and Center Cells

T

Tammy

Using Excel 2003. We have a workbook with 3 worksheets
with similar (but not exactly the same)
information/layout. There are no links, groups, etc.
between the sheets.

On each sheet they have 1 column where they have used
Merge and Center to merge about 10 rows several different
times. They have then set the desired cells to
be 'locked' using the correct steps. The locked cells
INCLUDE the merged and centered cells. They then turned
Protection on (with only the defaults checked).

The first worksheet still allows them to edit the merged
cells, even though it's locked and protected. The 2nd and
3rd worksheet are working correctly and do NOT allow
editing in those similar merged cells. There does not
appear to be any formatting differences etc on the first
worksheet. We have tried copying and pasting the data to
a new worksheet but the same things happens. We have also
tried 'unmerging' the cells then turning the protection
back on but we are STILL able to edit the single cells
even though if you look at their formatting 'locked' is
checked.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
E

Earl Kiosterud

Tammy,

You say about the sheet that "it's locked and protected." This may be
totally off-base, but just to be sure, I'll mention it. The locked
formatting must be applied to cells, not to the sheet. Be sure that the
cells you're trying to protect are selected with you look at Format -
Cells - Protection - Locked.
 
G

Guest

Yes, that is correct. They are both 'locked' in the cell
formating and then the Sheet Protection is turned 'on'.

Thanks,
Tammy
 
G

Guest

Ok, I posted 1 reply here that showed up briefly and is
now gone...so I will post it again. Yes, that is
correct. We have both locked the cells via the cell
formatting AND have turned sheet protection on.

Thanks,
Tammy
 
D

Dave Peterson

Just a wild guess.

Did you lock the cells before you merged? If yes, then maybe you missed a cell
in the mergearea.

In some light testing in xl2002, I locked a few cells and unlocked a few cells.
Then I merged that range.

The giant merged cell seemed to pick up its "lockedness" from the topleftcell of
the mergearea.

==
And you don't have any "helpful" macros that are unprotecting, allowing you to
edit, and reprotecting the worksheet? (Yeah, it was even more of a wild guess.)
 
G

Guest

Yes, the cells were locked BEFORE they were merged. We
took protection off and then unmerged the cells to see
what the individual formatting was on them, and it was the
default, which is locked.

If I do something similar in a brand new worksheet, it all
seems to work fine. So I'm trying to figure out
what's 'different' about this particular worksheet.

And, no, we aren't running any macros to do the merging,
protecting, etc. Everything is manual, from the menus or
the toolbars.

Thanks!
Tammy
 
E

Earl Kiosterud

Tammy,

Another non-answer, I fear, but if you can't resolve this, it may turn out
to be another reason to not use merged cells.
--
Earl Kiosterud
mvpearl omitthisword at verizon period net

"I'll take Reasons To Not Use Merged Cells for $500, Alex."

-------------------------------------------
 

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