How to prevent data entry into specific cells of a worksheet in Excel?
Supposing there are multiple cells in a worksheet that you need to prevent others from entering data into. In this article, we are talking about how to prevent data entry into specific cells of a worksheet in Excel. Please browse the article for details.
Prevent data entry into specific cell with data validation
Prevent data entry into specific cells by protecting the worksheet
Prevent data entry into specific cells with Kutools for Excel
Prevent data entry into specific cell with data validation
If you just want to prevent no data entry into specific cells but allow data deleted, you can try the data validation method.
1. Select the cells you need to prevent data entry, then click Data > Data Validation > Data Validation. See screenshot:
2. In the Data Validation dialog box, under the Settings tab, select Text length from the Allow drop-down list, choose equal to option from the equal to drop-down list, then enter number 0 into the length box.
3. Click the Error Alert tab, enter message into the Error message box that you will use to remind others when they attempt to entering data in specified cells. And then click the OK button.
From now on, data entry in this specified cells will cause error as below screenshot shown.
Note: You can remove data from this range. But after removing data from the range, no data entry can be allowed.
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Prevent data entry into specific cells by protecting the worksheet
This section will talking about preventing data entry into specific cells by protecting the worksheet.
1. Click the 
button at the top left corner of worksheet to select all cells. Then press the Ctrl + 1 keys simultaneously to open the Format Cells dialog box.
2. In the Format Cells dialog box, go to the Protection tab, uncheck the Locked box, and then click the OK button. See screenshot:
3. Only select the cells you need to prevent data entering into, press the Ctrl + 1 keys again to open the Format Cells dialog box. go to the Protection tab in the Format Cells dialog box, check the Locked box, and then click the OK button.
4. Now you need to protect the worksheet by clicking Review > Protect Sheet, specifying and confirming the password in the Protect Sheet and Confirm Password dialog boxes as below screenshot shown.
From now on, no data entry allowed in this range of cells, as well as data deleted or modified.
Prevent data entry into specific cells with Kutools for Excel
You can try the utilities of Kutools for Excel to prevent data entry into specific cells in your worksheet. Please do as follows.
1. Click Kutools Plus > Worksheet Design to activate the Design tab.
2. Click the button at the top left corner of worksheet to select all cells. Click Unlock Cells under the Design tab. And then click the OK button in the popping up Kutools for Excel dialog box.
3. Select the cells you need to prevent data entry into, click Lock Cells under the Design tab. And then click the OK button in the popping up Kutools for Excel dialog box as below screenshot shown.
4. Now click Protect Sheet under the Design tab, specifying and confirming the password in the Protect Sheet and Confirm Password dialog boxes as below screenshot shown.
From now on, no data entry allowed in this range of cells, as well as data deleted or modified.
If you want to have a free trial (30-day) of this utility, please click to download it, and then go to apply the operation according above steps.
Related articles:
- How to prevent blank or missing entries in cells in Excel?
- How to prevent selection of multiple worksheets in Excel?
- How to prevent a certain worksheet from being deleted in Excel?
- How to prevent specific cell contents from being deleted in Excel?
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