Locking and Protecting Form

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Converting your work into a 'real' form in Excel: Locking and Protecting

   In order to insure that a user will be filling in data in designated named fields, you must 'lock' the other cells, and then turn on 'protection.' (Locking and protecting cells make them unmodifiable.)

   Further, by protecting and locking the cells you don't want your users to enter, the tab key will jump from one 'proper' cell to the next. (Otherwise, it marches inexorably to the right.)

   To 'protect' a cell, click "Cell, Format, Protect" and check the lock box. Actually, the best way to accomplish this is to lock all cells en masse and then select the cells you want users to enter and unlock them. (If you are holding down the Ctrl button while you are clicking on cells, you can select many cells at the same time. You can also select groups of cells by 'painting' them with your mouse. You can also select a column or a row by clicking the number at the left or the letter at the top.

   A cell marked 'locked' is not yet actually locked. You must formally 'protect' the worksheet before 'lock' is in effect.  Click Tools|Protection|Protect Sheet to enable protection. Save the form. You are now ready to distribute it.