(Tech Tip: Office) How to password protect a Word / Excel document

Microsoft Office documents can be protected in several ways.

Opening the document requires a password (via Save As)

Modifying the document requires a password (via Save As)

Note: There is another area that offers template-style protection (via the Review tab) that only protects changing certain cells or sheets from modification.

Here's how to protect your document

1. In the Save As dialog box look for the Tools dropdown menu

2. Select General Options

3. In the Password to open area enter the password for opening the document

'Password to open' will encrypt the file and you would need the password to see its contents.

'Password to modify' will still allow anyone to see the contents of the file even without the password.

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Bad: in general for your Excel sessions (independent of the file)

Tools(menu)… Options(menu)… View(tab)… Window Options(area)... Zero values(checkbox)

Better: You can use a formula such as

=IF(F7=0,"",F7)

Best: You can do it without a formula by formatting the cell with

Format(menu)… Cells(menu)… Number(tab)

Custom:   #,###_);

2. Then choose Data... Sort and select "header row" (figure 1) and click OK

Now the list is sorted in alpha order

3. Choose Data... Filter... Advanced Filter

Fill in as is figure 2:

Select Copy to another location

List Range $A:$A

Criteria Range $A:$A

Copy To $D:$D

Check off 'Unique records only'

Press OK

4. Done.

When the dialog box goes away, Column D has your unique records.

figure 1

figure 2