lock only one cell

[Angie]

I'm trying to lock only one cell by first unlocking the entire sheet, then
locking only the cell, and then protecting the worksheet. However, when I do
this, it locks everything. When I protect the worksheet it automatically
checks "Select Locked cells, and Select Unlocked Cells". If I try to
unselect unlocked cells, it also removes the select locked cells check mark.
It also doesn't work when both are unselected. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Scoops]

I'm trying to lock only one cell by first unlocking the entire sheet, then
locking only the cell, and then protecting the worksheet. However, when I do
this, it locks everything. When I protect the worksheet it automatically
checks "Select Locked cells, and Select Unlocked Cells". If I try to
unselect unlocked cells, it also removes the select locked cells check mark.
It also doesn't work when both are unselected. Anyone have any thoughts?

Hi Angie

I'm not entirely clear on what you're trying to do - you want to lock
one cell (so that it can't be changed) AND you want to prevent any
unlocked cell from being selected? On the face of it I can't see why
you'd want to do that, nor I guess can Excel which is why it's
unchecking both options.

All the cells on a worksheet are locked by default, but the lock is
only activated when Protect Sheet is selected.

If you only want one cell locked then:

Right-click the square above row 1/left of column A > Format Cells >
Protection tab > uncheck Locked > OK

Right-click the cell you want locked > Format Cells > Protection tab >
check Locked > OK

Protect the sheet Tools > Protection > Protect Sheet > check the two
Select... boxes (apply any password) > OK

You can now alter any cell bar the single, locked cell.

Regards

Steve

 

[Angie]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for your response! I have tried exactly what you described, but all
cells end up being locked when I protect the worksheet rather than just the
one. I am unlocking the entire worksheet first, so I can't figure out why
it's not working . I don't want to protect unlocked cells from being
selected. I just thought that perhaps I wasn't understanding what the
automatically checked boxes were doing, and maybe that had something to do
with the fact that it wasn't working to protect only one cell.

Any other thoughts? The cell I'm trying to protect is part of a pivot table,
might that have anything to do with it?

Thanks,
Angie

 

[Scoops]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for your response! I have tried exactly what you described, but all
cells end up being locked when I protect the worksheet rather than just the
one. I am unlocking the entire worksheet first, so I can't figure out why
it's not working . I don't want to protect unlocked cells from being
selected. I just thought that perhaps I wasn't understanding what the
automatically checked boxes were doing, and maybe that had something to do
with the fact that it wasn't working to protect only one cell.

Any other thoughts? The cell I'm trying to protect is part of a pivot table,
might that have anything to do with it?

Thanks,
Angie

Hi Angie

I think you must be missing something somewhere for the method I posted
worked fine for me, including a pivot table I've just run up.

Not sure what else to suggest, sorry.

Regards

Steve

 

[Angie]

Thanks for trying to help Steve,

Very strange. I've gone through the same process numerous times, checked to
make sure other cells are in fact unlocked, but it still doesn't work. After
I protect the worksheet, anytime I click on any cell I get a message that
says, "cannot edit pivot table on a protected worksheet".

Thanks again,
Angie