Protecting a Workbook

Department heads should change Q1–Q4 amounts in B2:E6 — not delete =SUM(B2:E2) in column F. Protect Sheet stops accidental edits to formulas while inputs stay editable.

Before sharing NorthgateBudget.xlsx with faculty, James Okonkwo unlocks B2:E6 (quarter columns) and protects the sheet so Annual Total and Status formulas cannot be overwritten.

By default all cells are Locked — but locking has no effect until you Protect Sheet.

Plan for Budgets:

• 1Unlock input cells (quarter spend B2:E6).
• 2Keep formula cells locked (totals F2:K6, rate I1).
• 3Turn on protection.

If you protect without unlocking inputs first, every cell stays locked — nobody can type new Q2 figures in C3.

On Budgets, select B2:E6 (quarter amounts staff may edit). Right-click → Format Cells (or Home → Format → Format Cells). Open the Protection tab. Untick Locked → OK.

Click F2 — leave Locked ticked (default) for formula cells.

Unlocked cells: quarter inputs. Locked cells: everything that calculates.

Select F2:K6 (Annual Total through Status). Format Cells → Protection — ensure Locked is ticked.

Select I1 (contingency rate 0.05) — keep Locked if only James Okonkwo should change it. That cell drives **=F2*(1+$I$1)** for every department.

Review tab → Protect group → Protect Sheet.

Optional: enter a password (record it safely — James Okonkwo keeps it in the school password manager). Leave default permissions ticked unless you need to block sorting. Click OK. Re-enter the password if prompted.

Staff can type in unlocked cells only. NorthgateBudget.xlsx formulas stay safe.

Test as a colleague would: after protecting, click C3 and type a new amount — it should work. Click F3 — Excel should block the edit.

When you need to change =SUM or add a column:

Review → Unprotect Sheet. Enter the password if you set one. Edit formulas, then Protect Sheet again before sharing.

Review → Protect Workbook stops colleagues adding or deleting sheet tabs — useful after BudgetChart and PivotSummary are set up. It does not lock cell contents; use Protect Sheet for that.