In office scenarios, spreadsheets are no longer just data recording tools, but data platforms that carry sensitive information, collaborative work, and important decisions. How to ensure data security in WPS spreadsheets without affecting operational efficiency is a skill that every user should master. This article will comprehensively introduce three common methods for implementing spreadsheet locking and permission control in WPS Office, helping you choose the most appropriate protection solution based on different needs.
Part 1: How to prevent others from viewing or modifying your forms?
In the process of team collaboration, project management or data report sharing, we often want the other party to only view the file, or only modify specific areas. WPS官网 provides two effective ways: prevent viewing and prevent editing.
Method 1: Prevent viewing by setting a document encryption password
If you don’t want others to open the file and see the contents, you can directly set an opening password.
Steps:
- Open the WPS spreadsheet document and click the “Menu” button in the upper left corner.
- Select “Options” to enter the settings window.
- Switch to the “Security” tab.
- In “File encryption options for this workbook”, enter the document password you want to set.
- After confirming the password, click “OK”.
- Save the form and the password will take effect immediately.
This method is suitable for files containing sensitive data, such as financial statements, personnel information, etc., which cannot be opened without a password.
Method 2: Prevent editing by protecting the worksheet
If you want others to be able to view the content but not change it at will, you can choose to restrict only editing permissions.
Steps:
- Open the target form and click the Review tab at the top.
- Select Protect Sheet.
- In the pop-up window, enter the change password (optional) and check the allowed operation options (such as allowing sorting, filtering, etc.).
- Click OK and enter the password again to confirm.
- Save the form to complete the setup.
Kind tips:
- It is safer to use a more complex password (mixing letters, numbers, and symbols).
- Please keep your password safe, as it cannot be recovered if you forget it.
- If you need to cancel protection, go back to “Review” > “Unprotect Sheet” and re-enter the password.
Part 2: Allowing partial cell editing while locking the table
In actual use, we often want to lock most of the content, but also allow users to enter data in the specified area, such as submitting forms, filling in information, etc. This requirement can be achieved through the combination of “unlock specific cells + protect worksheets”.
Method 1: Unlock editable cells and set protection
Steps:
- First, select the range of cells that you want to allow users to edit.
- Right-click and select “Format Cells”.
- In the pop-up dialog box, switch to the “Protection” tab.
- Uncheck “Lock” and click “OK”.
- Then go to Review > Protect Sheet and enter a password.
- Check “Allow users to edit regions” (if prompted to name the region, enter a name), and finally click “OK” to complete the settings.
This method is particularly suitable for application scenarios such as creating interactive templates and survey forms.
Method 2: Protect some cells from being changed (suitable for fixed formulas or important content)
If your worksheet contains critical formulas or references, you want to protect them:
- First select all cells (Ctrl+A), right-click to set the format, and cancel “Lock”.
- Then select the cells that need to be protected separately, right-click to set the format, and re-check “Lock”.
- Finally, repeat the steps above to protect the worksheet to protect only part of the content.
Part 3: Set different passwords for each worksheet
Sometimes, our files contain multiple worksheets, each of which may correspond to different departments or permission requirements. Can we set a separate password for each form? The answer is yes.
Steps:
- Open your multi-sheet document and click on the target worksheet.
- Go to the “Review” tab and click “Protect Sheet”.
- Enter a unique password for this sheet and confirm it.
- Set the allowed operation permissions (such as whether to allow inserting rows, selecting locked cells, etc.).
- Click OK to save your settings.
- Switch to the next worksheet and repeat the above steps.
Important reminder:
- The password for each worksheet must be recorded separately.
- If you need to cancel the protection of a table, click “Unprotect Sheet” in the corresponding worksheet and enter the password.
- For highly sensitive information, consider combining system-level encryption or using encryption software for double protection.
Additional Tips and Notes
To improve the effectiveness of table protection, it is recommended that you:
- Back up regularly : Once the password is forgotten, it cannot be recovered. Backing up files can prevent the loss of important data.
- Make good use of named areas : Allow editing area suggestions to be given clear names for easier management.
- Test protection settings : After setting, try to edit, open, and switch viewing permissions to ensure that the settings are effective.
- Avoid over-protection : It is not recommended to set redundant passwords for each operation to avoid affecting normal collaboration.
Why choose WPS Office to protect your spreadsheet files?
WPS Office官网 is not only a free office software, but its strong compatibility, rich functions and stability also make it excel in spreadsheet protection.
1. Highly compatible with Microsoft Office,
supports opening, editing, and saving Excel, Word, and PPT formats without conversion, and perfectly connects to mainstream office scenarios.
2. The interface is intuitive and easy to use.
The operation method is similar to Excel, and users can make a seamless transition and get started easily.
3. Support cloud synchronization and multi-person collaboration.
It can be used with WPS cloud documents to achieve remote sharing and real-time collaborative editing among team members.
4. Data security is guaranteed
WPS has multiple security strategies such as file encryption, permission setting, and cloud data backup to ensure that user data is not leaked.
Build a solid line of defense
Whether you are a corporate user or a self-employed worker, mastering the encryption and protection methods of WPS spreadsheets is a key to improving work efficiency and data security. The three methods introduced here – preventing viewing, restricting editing, and encrypting separate spreadsheets, allow you to flexibly configure permissions according to different scenarios and build a solid line of defense for your digital files. If you haven’t experienced WPS Office yet, or haven’t explored its security features in depth, now is a good time to start. A free and powerful tool, combined with good usage habits, can build a professional-level spreadsheet security system.
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