Think about spending hours making a Google Sheet to share along with your crew, solely to seek out {that a} crew member by accident deleted an vital column, row, cell, or, even worse — a whole sheet.
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That may be irritating. Nonetheless, it is completely preventable should you lock cells in Google Sheets.
Because it seems, with just some clicks of a mouse, you’ll be able to lock cells and whole sheets in Google Sheets — that means, you and your crew can work on the identical sheet with out hindering the following individual from finishing their assigned duties.
On this publish, we’ll go over how one 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 suggests you’ll be able to defend your Sheet from any potential accidents, together with modifying and deletion.
You too can defend vital knowledge and calculations, so you’ll be able to relaxation straightforward realizing the formulation in your Sheet are right and correct.
The flexibility to lock cells in Google Sheets comes with a wide range of advantages.
Not solely are you able to lock cells from modifying, however you can even management which crew members can edit your doc — proper all the way down to the very cells these crew members are allowed to govern.
That is extraordinarily useful if a number of crew members are engaged on the identical Sheet directly. You too can copy permissions from different sheets, if 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 one can do it:
1. Proper-click on the cell you wish to lock.
After opening a brand new Google Sheet (or a Sheet you could have already been working in), right-click on the cell or cells you wish to lock.
2. Hover over “View extra cell actions.”
This feature is listed on the backside of the dropdown menu.
Relying on the place your cells are situated within the Sheet, you could must scroll down till you see it. Whenever you see it, hover over the “View extra cell actions” to open up one other menu.
3. Choose “Shield vary.”
The subsequent menu will provide you with 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’ll be able to 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 facet panel.
After clicking “Shield vary” from the dropdown menu or “Shield sheets and ranges” from the Information tab, you’ll discover the open facet panel on the appropriate of your display screen. 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 will probably be referenced within the vary part. If it’s essential lock a spread of cells, enter the vary into the sector.
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 too can copy permissions from different sheets, if in case you have locked cells in different Sheets.
7. Choose “Executed.”
When you’re completed locking cells from modifying, click on “Executed” to save lots of your preferences. Now, these cells are locked from modifying till you unlock them and alter the settings.
How one can Lock Cells and Give Modifying Permission to Choose Customers
In case you and your crew are working in a Google Sheet, contemplate giving modifying permissions to pick customers. It will aid you assign duties and higher handle your mission and hold others from by accident deleting vital work.
To lock cells and provides modifying permission to pick customers, observe these steps.
1. Proper-click the chosen cells.
Select the cell or cells you want to limit. 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.” It will open one other menu in your display screen.
3. Choose “Shield vary.”
To alter a cell’s modifying standing, select “Shield vary.” This motion will open a facet panel menu.
4. Click on “Add a sheet or vary” from the facet panel.
Within the facet panel, click on “Add a sheet or vary.” Clicking this button 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 must set modifying restrictions. To limit entry to the vary of cells, click on “Set permissions.”
7. Select “Customized.”
From this display screen, you could have 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’ll be able to determine who wants modifying entry to the vary of cells you could have specified. Enter the e-mail addresses of your crew members to assign them as editors of the cells. It will give them modifying entry to designated cells inside the sheet.
You should definitely click on “Executed” to save lots of the vary modifying permissions.
How one can Lock an Complete Sheet
There could also be occasions you have to to lock a whole sheet from modifying. Fortunately, this can be a easy course of.
To lock a whole sheet, you’ll be able to right-click on any cell inside 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 one 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 utilize to do that.
2. Hover over “View extra cell actions.”
Select the “View extra cell actions” possibility on the backside of the dropdown menu. You don’t 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 facet panel. Alternatively, you’ll be able to attain the “Protected sheets and ranges” facet panel by clicking on the Information tab and deciding on “Shield sheets and ranges.”
4. Select “Add a sheet or vary” from the facet 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 want 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’ll be able to lock your Sheet, it’s essential set modifying permissions. Choose “Set permissions” to decide on who can edit the locked Sheet. If you’re the one individual allowed to edit the sheet, be sure you select “Solely you.”
When you’ve decided who has modifying permissions on your Sheet, both simply you or members of your crew, you’ll want to hit “Executed” to save lots of the permissions. Now your Sheet is locked and can’t be edited with out permission.
How one can Present a Warning however Permit Modifying 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’ll be able to permit customers to obtain a warning earlier than accepting their edits.
To indicate 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 facet panel.
On the appropriate of your display screen, you will note an open facet 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 facet panel, decide which cells or sheets want a warning and ensure the data referenced within the field matches your required cells or sheet.
6. Choose “Set permissions.”
After you could have verified which cells or sheets ought to have an modifying warning, click on “Set permissions” to go to the modifying desire display screen.
7. Select “Present a warning when modifying this vary.”
Choose “Present a warning when modifying this vary,” then hit “Executed” to save lots of your modifying permissions.
If a person tries to make modifications within the semi-locked cell or Sheet, they’ll 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 will probably be occasions when you have to to unlock a cell to replace or change the data inside it.
Now that you just perceive how one can lock cells, let’s check out how one can unlock them.
1. Proper-click on the cells you wish to unlock.
In your Google Sheet, right-click on the cell it’s essential unlock. This motion opens a dropdown menu.
2. Hover over “View extra cell actions.”
Search for the “View extra cell actions” possibility within the drop-down menu. This feature is situated on the backside of the dropdown menu. Whenever you discover it, hover your mouse over the motion.
3. Choose “Shield vary.”
Like locking a cell, you’ll nonetheless must click on on the “Shield vary” possibility. It will open a facet panel menu the place you’ll be able to select to unlock the cell.
4. Click on on the locked cell.
Within the facet panel menu, you will note an inventory 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 facet of the outline field.
6. Choose “Take away.”
A warning display screen will pop up asking if you wish to take away the protected vary. If you’re 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 could have it! You should definitely take a while to set modifying preferences and assign sure cells or sheets to your crew.
When you’ve performed that, you and your crew can confidently work on the identical Google Sheet with out worrying somebody will by accident edit or delete vital data.
