Excel - password prompt on open

[jazminecat23]

Hi guys - i have a user with a spreadsheet that is on a shared drive. She is the owner. When she opens the spreadsheet, it prompts her for a password. When anyone else opens it, it doesn't prompt them, and only opens Read-only. I didn't set this up for her, but she wants to do another one that way. Can anyone help me with creating a spreadsheet that's readonly except for with one user, and prompts for a password when that user opens it? Thanks in advance.

 

[SPV]

Do all the users all have the same access to the file as each other (both network share and file permissions)?

Same version of Excel as each other?

Do some of them perhaps open it through a shortcut? (it should be possible to create a shortcut which uses excel command line options to force the spreadsheet to open read-only).

 

[jazminecat23]

hm, I'm not sure, but I doubt they all have the same network permissions - some of them are hourly employees in remote sites. The owner is here in the finance control dept. I also doubt they are all using the same version of excel. When we test here in the department, where we all do have the same network permissions and excel versions - I open it and it's read-only for me; she opens it and it prompts for a password.

I'm not sure how to check the file permissions. I doubt it was a command line to accomplish this, just because it's a file that's been around long before we had a helpful IT dept, and she surely didn't do that herself as she's remedial at best.

When the file is opened by her, it gives the "this file is reserved by xxx. enter a password to open, or click read-only ..." window. When anyone else does, it just automatically opens as read-only.

That's what we need to re-create in this other sheet.

 

[SPV]

...as she's remedial at best

I bet she speaks very highly of you. ;-)

To check the file permissions, locate the file in Windows Explorer, right-click it, choose Properties and go to the Security tab. I wonder if she has Full Control (or at least Modify) access to it, while other people have Read-Only access. Just a thought as it's one of the only ways I can think of this behaviour happening.

What if someone else logs onto her PC and opens the file? Or is she logs on to your PC? This test will tell you if it's the PC or the user account that makes the difference.

Alternatively, open the spreadsheet (read-write) and in Excel go to Tools -> Options then choose the Security tab. Is there a password set there? Is is set to be Read-Only Recommended?

If you feel like changing anything in these settings, I would suggest you do so on a copy of the file. I don't want to suggest anything that would risk damaging the original file.

 

[KenWright]

I'm with SPV - I'll bet it's a permissions issue, and only the fact that no-one else has permission to do anything other than read that stops them getting the option to open up for modification.

Seems a logical premise anyway.

Regards
Ken........

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It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission
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[jazminecat23]

Thanks everyone. Actually, the solution turned out to be in the File --> Save As dialog box. There's a Tools dropdown in the upper right that i never noticed. Selecting General Options from that menu gives you the opportunity to enter a password for modifying, and a box to check read-only. Worked perfectly.