Protect sheet

[Julie]

I am working on an Excel document witch is a big database. I would like to
set a password with the "protect sheet" option in the Tools/Protection menu.
"Normal" users who will open the database won't be able to edit the
document, but will rather open it in "read only" mode.
The problem is that I still want these users to be able to use the "auto
filter" and also use the "sort A-Z" option. I have tried to select these
options in the configuration of the protection (protect sheet window) but it
doesn't work. I can't do any of those two things; I can only move the cursor
in the document.

Can someone could tell what do I do wrong in the setup of the protection?

thanks

 

[Dave Peterson]

I think that either the cells in the range to be sorted have to be unlocked or
have to be able to have the user edit the range (via that password).

But the data|filter|autofilter worked with locked and unlocked cells.

A couple of workarounds:

Create a macro that unprotects the worksheet, does the sort, and reprotects the
worksheet.

Let the user run the macro to do the sort.

===

When you save the file, give it a nice password to open to modify. If the other
users don't know the password, they can still open it in readonly mode.

They can make as many changes as they want, but can't save the file in place.

Be aware that they can save it elsewhere, delete your original, and put their
copy in its place, though.

In xl2002+, it's:
File|SaveAs|Tools|General Options|
|Change the password to modify to something memorable.