Security Issue with Excel 2003

[Neil Holden]

Hi Gurus, I have an excel sheet which is a master document that all users use.

Once a user has completed the relevant fields in this excel sheet I have
created a macro which is a button, when pressed it will save as and the user
then chooses where to save it too, after that the macro will hide certain
columns so that clients cannot see the hidden colums and save as again:

1. One excel sheet for our own viewing
2. Another for clients.

The issue which i have which is a major issue is the clients can un hide the
columns but the trouble i have is that the clients will need to edit certain
cells so I can't password protect the entire workbook.

Please help.

Neil.

 

[OssieMac]

Hi Neil,

You can't totally protect if the client is serious about seeing what is in
the columns.
It is hard to advise without knowing all of the facts surrounding the
workbooks so the following is really only me thinking aloud of possibilities.

Is the data in the hidden columns required for the clients copy or is it
possible that these columns could be cleared? If the data in the hidden
columns is used in formulas on visible parts of the worksheet, what about
copy -> paste special -> values before clearing the hidden columns.

 

[Peter T]

Ensure the Locked property of all cells in On
Ctrl-A, Ctrl-1, Protection

Select the cells user is allowed to modify, change their Locked status to
Off (Locked unchecked)
Protect the worksheet with a password.

Be aware sheet and workbook password protection is notoriously weak, that
said typically it's enough to prevent most users from tampering.

Regards,
Peter T

 

[Dave Peterson]

If there is data in an excel file that a recipient shouldn't see, then excel is
not the right container for it.

Excel's protection is to try to stop users from writing over formulas (and minor
stuff like this). It's not made for the kind of protection that you would need.

The password to unprotect a worksheet is easily broken.

If you have to put the sensitive data into excel, then don't share with others
who shouldn't see it.

 

[Neil Holden]

Hi Ossie Mac,

How would I incoporate that into my current code?

Thanks for your help.