How to Use Security Features in Excel

Microsoft Excel has security features to help protect your spreadsheets from a number of potentially harmful events. Newer versions of Microsoft Excel even have security measures designed to keep your computer safe. Password protected spreadsheets, document security levels and macro virus prevention are the basic security features available in Excel.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Enable security alerts from suspicious website links. Click the Microsoft Office button and choose "Excel Options." Choose "Trust Center," then click "Trust Center Settings" and select "Privacy Options." Make sure you have "Check Office documents that are from or link to suspicious Web sites" checked.

2. Select "Enable Content" on the message bar if your workbook has external content. Choose to unblock the external content when the security dialog box appears.

3. Access the Trust Center to view your security and privacy settings for Active-X controls, add-ins and macros. Click on the Microsoft Office button and go to "Excel Options." From there, go to "Trust Center" and then "Trust Center Settings."

4. Password-protect your workbook. You can choose to require a password before anyone can open or modify your workbook. Select "Tools" from the "Save As" dialog box. Click "General Options" and input your passwords in the designated area.

5. Set the VBA / Macro Security to determine how VBA code and XML macros are executed. Go to "Tools," then "Macros." Set the security setting to at least medium.

6. Protect your worksheet from unauthorized editing by using Worksheet Protection. This allows other people to view most of the worksheet, but only edit certain cells. Click "Tools," go to "Protection" and select "Worksheet Protection."

Tips & Warnings

• Excel is a single end user software. Microsoft designed the security features are with this in mind. These features may not protect your documents in large corporate settings.