I want to hide a few columns in a price list and password protect them. I
also want to password protect a group of non-hidden columns. I do not want
to password protect the entire sheet. Is this possible? Thanks.
--
Ira

Hi Ira,

Yes, it is possible to password protect specific hidden columns in Excel. Here are the steps to do it:

1. First, select the columns that you want to hide. You can do this by clicking on the column header (the letter at the top of the column) for the first column, and then dragging your mouse to select the other columns.
2. Once you have selected the columns, right-click on one of the column headers and choose "Hide" from the context menu. This will hide the selected columns from view.
3. Next, go to the "Review" tab in the Excel ribbon and click on "Protect Sheet".
4. In the "Protect Sheet" dialog box, check the box next to "Protect worksheet and contents of locked cells".
5. Now, click on the "Format" button and uncheck the box next to "Column widths". This will prevent anyone from changing the width of any columns on the sheet.
6. In the "Password to unprotect sheet" field, enter a password of your choice. This will prevent anyone from unprotecting the sheet without the password.
7. Click "OK" to close the "Protect Sheet" dialog box.

Now, the hidden columns will be protected by the password you set. To unhide the columns, you will need to unprotect the sheet using the password.

To password protect a group of non-hidden columns, you can follow the same steps above, but instead of hiding the columns, you can select the cells in the columns that you want to protect and then right-click and choose "Format Cells". In the "Format Cells" dialog box, go to the "Protection" tab and check the box next to "Locked". Then, follow steps 3-7 above to password protect the sheet and prevent anyone from editing the locked cells.

Why not put the "hidden" column(s) on a different sheet and protect it.

--
Don Guillett
SalesAid Software

"Ira.Stoller" wrote in message
...
I want to hide a few columns in a price list and password protect them. I
also want to password protect a group of non-hidden columns. I do not
want
to password protect the entire sheet. Is this possible? Thanks.
--
Ira

This may work for you.

First, unhide the cells.

Then highlight the whole sheet. Now select formatcellsprotection and
uncheck the box that says "lock cells"

Now highlight only the cells you want to protect follow the same path and
check the box for the cells you want.

With that done, select toolsprotectionprotect sheet.
In the box that come up there are several options on how to allow or prevent
others from performing certain tasks. With that done enter a simple password
that you are sure you won't forget and enter it in the "password to unprotect
sheet" box. I think you get another box asking you if you are sure and to
retype your password.

CAUTION: if you forget your password there is no way to retrieve it.

Neil M

If this price list is something that shouldn't be seen by other people, then
don't put it in excel--anywhere.

If you do put it in excel, then don't share the workbook.

If you share the workbook, your pricelist can be seen by anyone who has the
gumption to look.

Ira.Stoller wrote:

I want to hide a few columns in a price list and password protect them. I
also want to password protect a group of non-hidden columns. I do not want
to password protect the entire sheet. Is this possible? Thanks.
--
Ira

--

Dave Peterson

Password retrieval is not that difficult

--
Don Guillett
SalesAid Software

"Neil M" wrote in message
...
This may work for you.

First, unhide the cells.

Then highlight the whole sheet. Now select formatcellsprotection and
uncheck the box that says "lock cells"

Now highlight only the cells you want to protect follow the same path and
check the box for the cells you want.

With that done, select toolsprotectionprotect sheet.
In the box that come up there are several options on how to allow or
prevent
others from performing certain tasks. With that done enter a simple
password
that you are sure you won't forget and enter it in the "password to
unprotect
sheet" box. I think you get another box asking you if you are sure and to
retype your password.

CAUTION: if you forget your password there is no way to retrieve it.

Neil M

In article ,
Neil M wrote:

CAUTION: if you forget your password there is no way to retrieve it.

See

http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/removepwords.html

It's on our VPN and is part of a macro-laden auto quote system that is used
by everybody within the company, so no, there are many advantages and no
disadvantages to using Excel. If anybody wants to hack into our VPN just to
get our pricing, God bless. You'll find it hardly worth the effort.
--
Ira


"Dave Peterson" wrote:

If this price list is something that shouldn't be seen by other people, then
don't put it in excel--anywhere.

If you do put it in excel, then don't share the workbook.

If you share the workbook, your pricelist can be seen by anyone who has the
gumption to look.

Ira.Stoller wrote:

I want to hide a few columns in a price list and password protect them. I
also want to password protect a group of non-hidden columns. I do not want
to password protect the entire sheet. Is this possible? Thanks.
--
Ira

--

Dave Peterson

Without going too deeply into the process, that would actually mean adding
eight sheets and would really complicate things. I'm researching internal
means to simplify our quoting system.
--
Ira


"Don Guillett" wrote:

Why not put the "hidden" column(s) on a different sheet and protect it.

--
Don Guillett
SalesAid Software

"Ira.Stoller" wrote in message
...
I want to hide a few columns in a price list and password protect them. I
also want to password protect a group of non-hidden columns. I do not
want
to password protect the entire sheet. Is this possible? Thanks.
--
Ira

then just protect the columns desired and protect the sheet.

--
Don Guillett
SalesAid Software

"Ira.Stoller" wrote in message
...
Without going too deeply into the process, that would actually mean adding
eight sheets and would really complicate things. I'm researching internal
means to simplify our quoting system.
--
Ira


"Don Guillett" wrote:

Why not put the "hidden" column(s) on a different sheet and protect it.

--
Don Guillett
SalesAid Software

"Ira.Stoller" wrote in message
...
I want to hide a few columns in a price list and password protect them.
I
also want to password protect a group of non-hidden columns. I do not
want
to password protect the entire sheet. Is this possible? Thanks.
--
Ira