Password Protection

[Kiley]

I have password protected an Excel Workbook. However, users of this Workbook
need to unprotect the Workbook to make changes and then re-protect the
Workbook. Is there a way to lockdown the password so that when re-protecting
the Workbook, the password cannot be changed to something else?

 

[Mike H]

Hi,

I don't believe there is any way to prevent someone who has the sheet
password from changing it.

Just a thought, what is the point of password protection if the users all
know the password?

Mike

 

[Kiley]

The purpose of the password was to prevent the users from accidentally
changing formulas inadverently.

 

[Brad]

You could set up a macro that would unlock the spreadsheet (with the preset
password) and set up another macro that would lock the spreadsheet (with the
preset password). But I agree with Mike - that doesn't add any more security
than simply protecting the sheet without using a password.

 

[Kiley]

Is there a way to setup a macro to protect the Workbook and then the user has
to know the password to unprotect the Workbook? I tried to set up a Marco to
lock the Workbook but then when I go to "Unprotect" the Workbook, it just
unprotects it and does not prompt for the password.

 

[Jim Thomlinson]

Unlock the cells that you wnat to allow the users to change and leave the
rest locked. That way the users should not need to unprotect the worksheets.
Assuming you have XL2002 or better then you have the option to Allow users to
edit ranges which is a more sophisticated protection set by user.

 

[Bill R]

I have password protected an Excel Workbook. However, users of this
Workbook
need to unprotect the Workbook to make changes and then re-protect the
Workbook. Is there a way to lockdown the password so that when
re-protecting
the Workbook, the password cannot be changed to something else?

Password protection in fact offers very little protection. It is very easy
to crack a password in seconds. With that in mind you may like to evaluate
the cost benefit of very limited protection against the hassle of having
password protection.

One way of giving some protection to formula is to colour code those cells.
This would, at least, warn users not to tamper with the contents. You would
also need to change to printing all black (an option available on many
printers) if using a colour printer.

For a much better level of protection you would need to go to encryption.
However, again you would need to evaluate the cost benefit of this option.

Bill R

 

[Brad]

To lock the workbook down
Sub lockdown()
Dim sht As Worksheet
For Each sht In Worksheets
sht.Protect "XXXXXX" ' fill in what ever password you want to use
Next sht
End Sub

But if they change the password when they save, this macro won't work...