How do I encrypt Social Security Numbers in Excel worksheet?

[Guest]

To comply with federal and university regulations, we need to encrypt
sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers. How can this be done in
Excel?

 

[Doug Kanter]

To comply with federal and university regulations, we need to encrypt
sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers. How can this be done in
Excel?

Do you actually need to work with those numbers, or are they there just
because they are? And, for each person's record, is there any other unique
identifying number, perhaps one created by the school?

 

[Earl Kiosterud]

Grace,

You could hide the column, then protect the sheet with a password. Or you
could put the social security numbers in a separate sheet, along with only
the names and any other stuff that will also uniquely identify people. You
could keep that sheet hidden. You need to say what you're using them for,
if at all, since you don't want them in plain view.