Protecting linked source data

Greetings,
I have a spreadsheet on a network that links to another workbook containing
source data, formulas etc. Obviously the public version is there to be viewed
by my colleagues but I wish to hide the source data from all users but need
the ability to update the source data. I thought I had succeeded in
protecting the source data only to find out that one could access it by using
the LINKS option from the EDIT menu. Is there anyway (without using vba) to
protect the data? I am using excel 2003 under the XP Pro OS.
Thanks,
JoJo.

Hi JoJo,

With the source worksheet:
.. select the whole worksheet, then use:
. Format|Cells|Protection and make sure bith the 'Locked' and 'Hidden' options are checked
. Format|Row|Hide
. Format|Column|Hide
.. use Tools|Protect|Protect Sheet and add a password,
that should keep all but the most determined users at bay.

If you want to apply a bit of vba to the source workbook, you can even set the worksheet's property to 'xlVeryHidden' so that it
can't even be found via the user interface - it can only be made visible again via vba. Do that and the above steps are possibly
superfluous. The source workbook must have at least one (eg dummy) worksheet 'visible', though.

--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]


"JoJo UK" <JoJo UK DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:67AF79C3-C8E2-4E5E-997E-A7219BD74B17@microsoft.com...
> Greetings,
> I have a spreadsheet on a network that links to another workbook containing
> source data, formulas etc. Obviously the public version is there to be viewed
> by my colleagues but I wish to hide the source data from all users but need
> the ability to update the source data. I thought I had succeeded in
> protecting the source data only to find out that one could access it by using
> the LINKS option from the EDIT menu. Is there anyway (without using vba) to
> protect the data? I am using excel 2003 under the XP Pro OS.
> Thanks,
> JoJo.