AX2283

Configuring worksheet protection for Axiom files

You can specify whether worksheet protection is applied to each sheet in an Axiom file. To edit the protection settings for a sheet, use the Sheet Protection On/Off option in the Sheet Options area of the Control Sheet. (This setting is also available via the Sheet Assistant.)

  • If Sheet Protection is set to On, then sheet protection is applied to the sheet when the file is opened. Generally, users are restricted to editing unlocked cells. In plan files, users can also use the calc method library to insert new lines or change existing lines.
  • If Sheet Protection is set to Off, then sheet protection is not applied to the sheet by Axiom Software. However, any existing sheet protection is not removed.

When sheet protection is enabled, by default Axiom Software applies a system password to the sheet. This is intended to block casual users from using standard Microsoft Excel functionality to unprotect the sheet. Only administrators and users with the global Remove Protection permission or the file-specific Allow Unprotect permission can unprotect the sheet using Axiom Software functionality.

IMPORTANT: Sheet protection for Axiom files should always be applied via the Control Sheet, not by manually using Excel's spreadsheet features. Manually applied protection—especially if used with custom defined passwords—will not work with all Axiom features. Additionally, manually applied protection will prevent the file from opening in the Windows Client.

NOTES:  

  • If a file has sheet protection enabled on the Control Sheet, and then later you change the setting to Off, the sheet protection will not be removed from the file until you remove it using the Axiom Software unprotect feature (Advanced > Protect > Worksheet) and then save the file. The next time the file is opened, the protection will not be reapplied.

  • If you want worksheet protection to be applied when a snapshot copy is taken, remember to also set Sheet Protection On/Off during snapshot to On.

Sheet protection settings

The sheet protection applied by Axiom Software allows users to do the following:

  • Select locked cells

  • Select unlocked cells

  • Format cells

    The behavior of this setting differs between the Excel Client and the Windows Client. In the Excel Client, this allows any cell in the protected sheet to be formatted. In the Windows Client, only unprotected cells can be formatted.

  • Use AutoFilter

    This setting only applies to the Excel Client. AutoFilter is not useable in protected sheets in the Windows Client.

It is not possible to customize the Axiom Software protection settings to allow users to perform other actions or to disallow the default actions.

When designing templates with a comment column, make sure to set the size of the comment column to a reasonable width, because end users will be unable to resize the column due to the sheet protection settings.

When adjusting the protection settings for a cell, keep in mind that enabling the Hidden property for a cell may affect certain Axiom Software functionality. For example, if a Print tag is placed in a cell that is Hidden, Axiom Software will not detect the print view.

Disabling password protection for worksheets

If desired, you can disable password protection for worksheets by editing the system configuration setting ExcelWorksheetPasswordProtectionEnabled. Eliminating the password can significantly improve file performance when using Axiom files in Excel. Some clients may decide that the password protection is not necessary in their environment and they would rather benefit from the improved performance.

By default this setting is enabled, which means that when Axiom Software applies worksheet protection per the Control Sheet settings, the protection includes a password. Users who have the appropriate Axiom Software security permissions can remove this protection without entering the password—the system automatically applies the password when using the Axiom Software protection removal features. However, any user who attempts to manually remove the protection using Excel's protection removal features will be prompted to enter the password. This password is intended to discourage casual attempts to breach the worksheet protection.

If this setting is disabled, then the worksheet protection is still applied by Axiom Software but the protection does not include a password. This means that any user with the knowledge to use Excel's protection removal features can remove the worksheet protection.

IMPORTANT: All clients should keep in mind that workbook and worksheet protection are not substitutes for security. Workbook and worksheet protection are useful for many things—such as hiding setup information in a file and focusing end user input and attention to designated areas—but these protections are not meant to prevent user access to protected areas, they are only meant to discourage access. If a workbook contains any data that a particular user should not be able to see, then that user should not have security permission to access that workbook.

See also