How To Limit Modifying for Particular Cells in Google Sheets

If you happen to use Google Sheets for enterprise or for a corporation, locking down or in any other case defending belongings is vital. Unintentional modification or deletion, malicious modifications or common mischief or errors can all trigger you to lose your work and whereas Google retains a backup of it, it’s nonetheless time wasted. If you want to limit enhancing for particular cells or defend different points of Google Sheets, this tutorial is for you.

Google Sheets is the equal of Excel and gives some primary however nonetheless highly effective spreadsheet instruments within the cloud. I take advantage of Google Sheets and Docs lots. Whereas nothing to have a look at, they include all of the important instruments vital for productiveness. They is probably not as in-depth as Workplace or able to as many capabilities however until you’re an accountant or mission supervisor, you gained’t use half the instruments that comes with Workplace anyway.

There are a number of methods to guard your work in Google Sheets. I’ll present you a few of them.

Lock cells in Google Sheets

To limit enhancing for particular cells in Google Sheets, you lock them. That manner, solely you or somebody you add to the authorized listing can modify these cells. All individuals with permission to view and see them however not modify them. It’s a sensible solution to management who does what together with your paperwork.

There are two fundamental methods to do that. You’ll be able to choose cells and lock them or choose the whole sheet and add exceptions. I’ll present you the primary technique right here and the exception technique in a minute.

1. Open your sheet and choose the vary of cells you wish to lock.
   
2. Choose Information and Protected sheets and ranges. A menu bar will seem on the correct.
   
3. Give the lock a significant identify and choose Set Permissions.
   
4. Choose Limit who can edit this vary and set it to Solely You or add others from the Customized possibility.
   
5. Choose Accomplished as soon as completed.
   

You’ll be able to add different individuals with their Gmail deal with or choose from a listing relying on how you may have Google Sheets arrange. As soon as completed, the cells you specified shall be locked to anybody however who you give permission to. The lock is invisible till somebody tries to change it who isn’t on the listing.

If you happen to don’t wish to fully lock down cells, you may show a warning message as an alternative. This lets you alert the editor that the cell(s) they’re about to edit are necessary and to be further cautious.

1. Open your sheet and choose the vary of cells you wish to lock.
   
2. Choose Information and Protected sheets and ranges. A menu bar will seem on the correct.
   
3. Give the lock a reputation and choose Set Permissions.
   
4. Choose Present a warning when enhancing this vary.
   
5. Choose Accomplished.
   

With this setting, anybody about to edit the protected cell will see a popup warning telling them ‘Heads up! You’re making an attempt to edit a part of this sheet that shouldn’t be modified by accident. Edit anyway?’ There may be additionally a selected OK button to make double positive the editor actually needs to vary the cell. That is helpful to remind these you do belief to edit your Sheet that these explicit cells require further care.

Lock the whole Google Sheet

If locking down cells isn’t sufficient, you may lock the whole Google Sheet to make it learn just for everybody however authorized customers. It follows an identical course of to the above however renders the whole sheet untouchable reasonably than particular cells. If you happen to’re presenting or sharing your Sheet and don’t need it messed round with, that is the way you defend it.

1. Open the sheet you wish to lock.
   
2. Choose Information and Protected sheets and ranges. A menu bar will seem on the correct.
   
3. Choose the Sheet toggle as an alternative of Vary.
   
4. Choose the precise sheet if there are a couple of.
   
5. Choose Set permissions and add customers who can edit.
   
6. Choose Accomplished.
   

You need to use the identical association as cell locking with regards locking or warning. It makes use of the identical setup as above so I gained’t bore you by repeating it.

Including cell exceptions to a locked Sheet

I discussed above that there’s a second solution to lock down cells and that’s to lock the whole Sheet however add cells as an exception. In case you have a big sheet and just one or a number of cells to lock, this may be the best solution to do it. Right here’s how:

1. Observe the method above to lock the whole Google Sheet however cease earlier than Step 6.
   
2. Choose Besides sure cells beneath the Sheet selector.
   
3. Add the cells you wish to stay editable throughout the field beneath. Proceed till all cells are included.
   
4. Choose Set permissions and proceed from there.
   

You’ll be able to add particular person ranges by deciding on one group after which deciding on the Add One other Vary hyperlink beneath. You’ll be able to repeat as a lot as is sensible to completely safe your Sheet.