by Raj Kumar

Created on: October 28, 2009

Microsoft Excel sheet can be protected either by providing security to entire work book or by restricting user permissions at worksheet level. With few simple steps, any user can apply safety measures and implement password protection methods. To access and modify such spreadsheet, other people have to enter the correct password for it.

By locking the entire workbook, we can protect it with desired password which in turn will be prompted if any user tries to open it. One more password is entered exclusively to control the modification of workbook.

Step 1: Open new or existing excel workbook and go to "File" -> "Save As" menu.

Step 2: When "Save As" dialog box appears. Go to "Tools" -> "General Options" menu. (In Microsoft Excel 2007, "Tools" option is provided by a button on bottom left of "Save As" dialog box)

Step 3: On clicking "General Options" submenu, "Save Options" window appears. There are two text boxes viz. 1) "Password to open" and 2) "Password to modify". In "Password to open" text box, enter the desired password which you want to set to open the workbook. In "Password to modify" text box, enter the desired password which you want to set to modify the workbook. Both passwords can be same. Now click "OK" button on "Save Options" window.

Step 4: Now "Confirm password" window appears. Enter respective password in "Reenter password to proceed" box. Click "OK". Similarly enter respective password in "Reenter password to modify" box and click "OK" button. Finally click "Save" button on "Save As" window. If any of these confirmation passwords do not match with initial entered password, pop up will appear showing message as - "Confirmation password is not identical"

If password protection is set for an existing file, message pops up - "This file already exists. Do you want to replace the existing file?" Click "Yes" button.

If you do not want to lock entire workbook, individual worksheet can also be protected. You can prevent unwanted changes to the data in a sheet by specifying what information can be changed.

Step 1: Open new or existing workbook. Go to "Tools" -> "Protection" -> "Protect Sheet" menu. (In Microsoft Excel 2007, user can go to "Protect Sheet" option by selecting "Review" tab on main ribbon and clicking the in "Protect Sheet" button in "Changes" section. In Excel 2007, there is another way also. User can right click on desired worksheet tab at the bottom for e.g. "Sheet1" and can access "Protect Sheet" context menu option.)

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