Cell protection after entering formula.

[Guest]

I want to protect a cell (e.g. C5) after entering a formula (e.g. C5=C3+C4). But at the same time the entire worksheet except C5 should be unprotected/open for edit.

Kindly suggest solution.

 

[Norman Harker]

Hi Ashok

Excel applies worksheet protection in two stages:

1. Format > Cells > Protection determines which cells are to be
protected and which are to be left unprotected
2. Tools > Protection > Protect Workbook which imposes the protection.

By default, unless you make changes in step 1, all cells are
protected.

So:
Select all cells in the sheet [press button at junction of column and
row headings
Format > Cells > Protection
Remove check from "Locked"
OK
Select the cells that you want to protect
Format > Cells > Protection
Place check in "Locked"
OK
Tools > Protection > Protect Sheet
Give and confirm a password [optional]
OK


But note that worksheet protection is very easily circumvented by
freely available workbooks designed just for that purpose.

 

[Guest]

By default all cells are protected, but protection is turned off. If you turn protection on, then you would not be able to enter anything in any cell. So to begin with you need to remove protection from your entire sheet. Select the entire sheet by clicking in the corner or however you prefer, then select Format / Cells / Protection and clear the Locked checkbox.

Then you can enter your data in C5, format the cell to be locked by checking the same box and turn on protection for the worksheet under Tools / Protection.

If you want all that to happen transparently without your intervention, you would need to create an event handling macro.