Think about spending hours making a Google Sheet to share along with your crew, solely to search out {that a} crew member by chance deleted an vital column, row, cell, or, even worse — a whole sheet.
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That may be irritating. Nonetheless, it is solely preventable should you lock cells in Google Sheets.
Because it seems, with only a few clicks of a mouse, you possibly can lock cells and whole sheets in Google Sheets — which means, you and your crew can work on the identical sheet with out hindering the following individual from finishing their assigned duties.
On this submit, we’ll go over how you can lock and unlock cells in Google Sheets.
Desk of Contents
The Advantages of Locking Cells in Google Sheets
Google Sheets permits customers to lock cells from modifying, which implies you possibly can defend your Sheet from any potential accidents, together with modifying and deletion.
You can even defend vital knowledge and calculations, so you possibly can relaxation simple realizing the formulation in your Sheet are right and correct.
The power to lock cells in Google Sheets comes with quite a lot of advantages.
Not solely are you able to lock cells from modifying, however you may as well management which crew members can edit your doc — proper right down to the very cells these crew members are allowed to control.
That is extraordinarily useful if a number of crew members are engaged on the identical Sheet without delay. You can even copy permissions from different sheets, in case you have locked cells in different Sheets.
Let’s check out the steps to lock cells in Google Sheets.
How one can Lock Particular Cells in Google Sheets
Locking particular cells in Google Sheets is an easy activity. Right here’s how you can do it:
1. Proper-click on the cell you wish to lock.
After opening a brand new Google Sheet (or a Sheet you’ve already been working in), right-click on the cell or cells you wish to lock.
2. Hover over “View extra cell actions.”
This selection is listed on the backside of the dropdown menu.
Relying on the place your cells are situated within the Sheet, it’s possible you’ll have to scroll down till you see it. Once you see it, hover over the “View extra cell actions” to open up one other menu.
3. Choose “Shield vary.”
The subsequent menu gives you a number of extra cell actions. Search for the motion labeled “Shield vary.” Select “Shield vary” to start assigning cells to a locked standing.
Alternatively, you possibly can carry out the identical activity by clicking on the Information tab and selecting “Shield sheets and ranges.”
4. Select “Add a sheet or vary” from the aspect panel.
After clicking “Shield vary” from the dropdown menu or “Shield sheets and ranges” from the Information tab, you’ll discover the open aspect panel on the proper of your display. Click on on “Add a sheet or vary.”
5. Select which cells to lock.
Subsequent, determine which cells to lock from modifying. In case you click on the cell you wish to lock, that cell’s data can be referenced within the vary part. If that you must lock a spread of cells, enter the vary into the sphere.
6. Choose “Set permissions.”
Choose “Set permissions” to decide on who can edit the chosen cells. In case you’re the one individual allowed to edit the cell, be sure you select “solely you.”
You can even copy permissions from different sheets, in case you have locked cells in different Sheets.
7. Choose “Achieved.”
When you’re completed locking cells from modifying, click on “Achieved” to avoid wasting your preferences. Now, these cells are locked from modifying till you unlock them and alter the settings.
How one can Lock Cells and Give Enhancing Permission to Choose Customers
In case you and your crew are working in a Google Sheet, contemplate giving modifying permissions to pick out customers. This can provide help to assign duties and higher handle your venture and maintain others from by chance deleting vital work.
To lock cells and provides modifying permission to pick out customers, observe these steps.
1. Proper-click the chosen cells.
Select the cell or cells you wish to prohibit. Then, right-click to open up the dropdown menu.
2. Hover “View extra cell actions.”
Scroll or look to the underside of the dropdown menu and hover over “View extra cell actions.” This can open one other menu in your display.
3. Choose “Shield vary.”
To vary a cell’s modifying standing, select “Shield vary.” This motion will open a aspect panel menu.
4. Click on “Add a sheet or vary” from the aspect panel.
Within the aspect panel, click on “Add a sheet or vary.” Clicking this button will will let you enter which cells or sheets to lock.
5. Select which cells to lock.
Decide which cells your crew member must carry out their assigned activity. Then, enter the vary of cells into the field.
6. Choose “Set permissions.”
When you’ve entered the specified cells within the field, you’ll have to set modifying restrictions. To limit entry to the vary of cells, click on “Set permissions.”
7. Select “Customized.”
From this display, you’ve the choice to determine who has permission to edit the vary of cells. So as to add a crew member or a number of crew members, click on “Customized.”
8. Assign editors to cells.
Now, you possibly can determine who wants modifying entry to the vary of cells you’ve specified. Enter the e-mail addresses of your crew members to assign them as editors of the cells. This can give them modifying entry to designated cells throughout the sheet.
Make sure you click on “Achieved” to avoid wasting the vary modifying permissions.
How one can Lock an Whole Sheet
There could also be occasions you will want to lock a whole sheet from modifying. Fortunately, it is a easy course of.
To lock a whole sheet, you possibly can right-click on any cell throughout the doc to open the dropdown menu. You’ll take the identical steps to lock a whole sheet as you probably did with locking only one cell.
Right here’s how you can do it:
1. Proper-click on any cell.
Proper-click on any cell in your Google Sheet to open a drop-down menu. To lock a whole sheet, it doesn’t matter which cell you employ to do that.
2. Hover over “View extra cell actions.”
Select the “View extra cell actions” choice on the backside of the dropdown menu. You do not want to click on. Simply hover over it to open one other menu.
3. Choose “Shield vary.”
Click on “Shield vary” to open the permissions aspect panel. Alternatively, you possibly can attain the “Protected sheets and ranges” aspect panel by clicking on the Information tab and deciding on “Shield sheets and ranges.”
4. Select “Add a sheet or vary” from the aspect panel.
Click on “Add a sheet or vary” to start locking a whole sheet.
5. Click on on “Sheet.”
Click on on the “Sheet” button to lock a whole sheet. When you’re within the Sheet tab, choose which Sheet you wish to lock.
ou have the choice to exclude sure cells from being locked. In case you want sure cells open for modifying, click on the field for “Besides sure cells” and specify the vary.
6. Choose “Set permissions.”
Earlier than you possibly can lock your Sheet, that you must set modifying permissions. Choose “Set permissions” to decide on who can edit the locked Sheet. In case you are the one individual allowed to edit the sheet, be sure you select “Solely you.”
When you’ve decided who has modifying permissions in your Sheet, both simply you or members of your crew, be sure you hit “Achieved” to avoid wasting the permissions. Now your Sheet is locked and can’t be edited with out permission.
How one can Present a Warning however Enable Enhancing of Locked Cells
In case you’re engaged on a doc concurrently with crew members and also you don’t need your cells to be modified, you possibly can enable customers to obtain a warning earlier than accepting their edits.
To point out a warning, observe these steps:
1. Proper-click on the cells you wish to lock.
In your Google Sheet, right-click on the cells you wish to lock. You possibly can set a warning for a whole Sheet by following this course of as properly.
2. Hover over “View extra cell actions.”
Scroll to the underside of the menu and hover over “View extra cell actions.”
3. Choose “Shield vary.”
To set an modifying warning on sure cells or your Sheet, click on “Shield vary” to assign cells or a Sheet to a warning standing.
4. Select “Add a sheet or vary” from the aspect panel.
On the proper of your display, you will note an open aspect panel menu. Click on “Add a sheet or vary.”
5. Select which cells or sheet to set an modifying warning.
You possibly can set an modifying warning for a spread of cells or a whole sheet. Within the aspect panel, decide which cells or sheets want a warning and ensure the knowledge referenced within the field matches your required cells or sheet.
6. Choose “Set permissions.”
After you’ve verified which cells or sheets ought to have an modifying warning, click on “Set permissions” to go to the modifying desire display.
7. Select “Present a warning when modifying this vary.”
Choose “Present a warning when modifying this vary,” then hit “Achieved” to avoid wasting your modifying permissions.
If a consumer tries to make modifications within the semi-locked cell or Sheet, they may obtain a warning message as a heads-up. Customers should both click on “Cancel” or “Okay” to make modifications or revert to the unique doc.
How one can Unlock Cells
Locking a cell or a Sheet is extraordinarily useful in sustaining the integrity of your knowledge. However, there can be occasions when you will want to unlock a cell to replace or change the knowledge inside it.
Now that you just perceive how you can lock cells, let’s check out how you can unlock them.
1. Proper-click on the cells you wish to unlock.
In your Google Sheet, right-click on the cell that you must unlock. This motion opens a dropdown menu.
2. Hover over “View extra cell actions.”
Search for the “View extra cell actions” choice within the drop-down menu. This selection is situated on the backside of the dropdown menu. Once you discover it, hover your mouse over the motion.
3. Choose “Shield vary.”
Like locking a cell, you’ll nonetheless have to click on on the “Shield vary” choice. This can open a aspect panel menu the place you possibly can select to unlock the cell.
4. Click on on the locked cell.
Within the aspect panel menu, you will note a listing of locked cells inside your Sheet. Click on on the cell or cell vary that you just want to unlock.
5. Click on the garbage can icon.
Subsequent, click on on the garbage can icon to the aspect of the outline field.
6. Choose “Take away.”
A warning display will pop up asking if you wish to take away the protected vary. In case you are positive you wish to unlock the cell, click on the “Take away” button.
When you click on the button, your cell is free to be edited by anybody with modifying permission for the doc.
Locking Cells in Google Sheets
And there you’ve it! Make sure you take a while to set modifying preferences and assign sure cells or sheets to your crew.
When you’ve accomplished that, you and your crew can confidently work on the identical Google Sheet with out worrying somebody will by chance edit or delete vital data.
