You can prevent users from overwriting formulas or inadvertently changing labels or formats in Excel by protecting those cells. Follow these steps:
Select the cells that users will modify during data entry.
Go to Format | Cells, deselect the Locked checkbox on the Protection tab, and click OK.
Go to Tools | Protection | Protect Sheet, and click OK.
Now users will be able to alter only the cells that are unlocked. If users attempt to alter any other cells, they will receive a message saying they must un-protect the cells to modify them.
In Step 3, you may wish to add a password to prevent unauthorized users from changing a cell's protection level, rather than accepting the default settings
By Lisa Miller, Human Resources Information Systems, Georgia Department of
Public Health (DPH)
