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How to allow sorting and Filter locked cells in protected sheets?

In general, the protected sheet cannot be edited, but in some cases, you may want to allow the other users to do sorting or filtering in the protect sheets, how can you handle it?

Allow sorting and filtering in a protected sheet

Allow sorting and filtering in a protected sheet

To allow sorting and filter in a protected sheet, you need these steps:

1. Select a range you will allow users to sorting and filtering, click Data > Filter to add the Filtering icons to the headings of the range. See screenshot：
doc allow filter sort 1

2. Then keep the range selected and click Review > Allow Users to Edit Ranges. See screenshot:
doc allow filter sort 2

3. In the Allow Users to Edit Ranges dialog, click New to display the New Range dialog, give the range a name. See screenshot:

doc allow filter sort 3 shot arrow right doc allow filter sort 4

4. Click OK to go back to Allow Users to Edit Ranges dialog, and then click Protect Sheet. See screenshot:
doc allow filter sort 5

5. In the Protect Sheet dialog, type the password in the Password to unprotect sheet text box, and in Allow all users of this worksheet to list to check Sort and Use AutoFilter options. See screenshot:
doc allow filter sort 6

6. Click OK, and retype the password in the textbox in the Confirm Password dialog. Click OK to finish the sheet protecting. See screenshot:
doc allow filter sort 7

Then the users can sort and filter in this protected sheet

Tip. If there are multiple sheets needed to protect and allow users to sort and filter, you can apply Protect Worksheet utility of Kutools for Excel to protect multiple sheets at one time.please go to free try Kutools for Excel first, and then go to apply the operation according below steps.

1. After finish the first three steps to allow users to edit ranges in the specified sheets, click Kutools Plus > Protect Worksheet. See screenshot:
doc allow filter sort 8

2. In the Protect Worksheet dialog, select the sheets you want to protect, click Ok to display the next dialog, type and reenter the password, and check Sort and Use AutoFilter in Allow all users of this worksheet to list.
doc allow filter sort 9

3. Click Ok. Now a dialog box pops out and shows how many sheets have been protected as below screenshot shown. Please click the OK button to close it.
doc allow filter sort 10

Now all specified sheets have been protected but allowed to sort and filter.

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Comments (21)
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chenna
chenna
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very helpful! it fixed my filter issue with protected worksheets
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Daniel
Daniel
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Here's my issue. I have a Table with several columns and lots of rows. I want people to be able to edit certain columns, filling in the information they gather, sort/filter by any column, and be able to select and copy data from any cell, but not change values in columns they are not entering information into. A = ID, B = Title, C = Description, D = Type, E = Who Knows It?, F = Completed by. They should be able to sort/filter any column and copy from any cell, but they should only be able to edit D, E, and F. Is this possible?
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Sunny
Sunny     Daniel
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Hi, Daniel, just select the cells you allow others edit, format them to unlock in format cells dialog, then protect the sheet, now only the unlocked cells can be edited.
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Abhijit
Abhijit     Sunny
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However when you protect the sheet and allow filter too, the "Clear Filter" button in the Data tab gets greyed out and user is not able to clear the filter, rather they have to go to each filter and manually clear them. Is there any way to keep the "Clear Filter" option active even after protecting the worksheet?
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David
David     Abhijit
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I have the same question. I would love to know the answer to Abhijt's question, if there is one.
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Ann
Ann     David
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i m having this problem as well. Do wish for an answer if any ^^
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Mike
Mike     Abhijit
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has anyone come up with a solution to this question? I'm still trying to figure this out.
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Mark
Mark     Mike
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3 years later. Still searching for a solution.
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Sunny
Sunny     Mark
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Sorry Mark, I have tried, cannot solve this problem. If you find the solution, please let me know, thank you.
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Peter
Peter     Mark
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I had the same issue, solved it with a Macro. So I added a Button and signed following macro to it, see below.

It doesn't solve my issue with sorting. Following the steps above, I have a similar file converted to a table, the sorting still doesn't work.


Sub Reset_All_Filters()
'
' Reset_All_Filters Macro
' will reset all the slicers in the dashboards
'

'
Dim cache As SlicerCache
For Each cache In ActiveWorkbook.SlicerCaches
cache.ClearManualFilter
Next cache

End Sub
Eland Grove
Eland Grove     Daniel
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I agree with MJ. This solution makes it so users can make almost any change they want within the "edit ranges" area, including deleting locked and hidden formulas. The sheet might as well be unlocked. 
1) Not change the values. Not see or change or delete the formulas.2) Sort and Filter on any of the 60 columns3) Select areas (of locked cells) and copyThe suggested method allows 2) and 3) but could allow users to inadvertently delete data in cells.  
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Banshee
Banshee     Daniel
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I have a solution for you. ... Use "Format Cells" to unlock the columns you want users to be able to change. Then use the method shown here create a range (your table) that users can edit. Then, when you protect the sheet, select the options for autofilter and sort AND deselect the top option to let users "select locked cells" .... if you put in no password for the range protection, then users can sort and filter the range, make changes to unlocked cells, and can't touch the formulas they shouldn't!
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MJ
MJ
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This also changed the way cells react to clicks. i.e. Protection: Allow users to "select locked cells" no longer rejects attempted changes, but removes protection altogether and allows changes to the data in the cell... and ... Disallowing "select locked cells" will no longer allow you to copy any locked cells. Trade-offs for allowing sort/filter on a protected sheet. pls correct me if I'm wrong.
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Heidi J
Heidi J
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This solved my issue! Couldn't figure out why columns couldn't still be filtered... I was missing the checkbox to allow for sort and auto filter. I've bookmarked this page :)
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Fabio DI PRIMA
Fabio DI PRIMA
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I tried to do so:
the result is that, yes, user can sort and filter
... and can also modify the locked cells in the selected range (the whole range is containing locked and unlocked cells)
thus, this is NOT a useful way to protect the sheet, I can leave the sheet unprotected and will have the same result ...
however thanks for yur usual suggestions
I will investigate more ... :-)
cheers
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Arturo Cohen
Arturo Cohen     Fabio DI PRIMA
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Hi Fabio, to solve this, when selecting the properties for the sheet protection, do NOT select the option "select locked cells" this will avoid someone from using/changing those cells.
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Banshee
Banshee     Arturo Cohen
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OMG! you did it... you beautiful sob, that's it. been researching for a solution to this for a good 8 hours over 3 days now. So simple. Thank you!
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Johan
Johan
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Hi
Doing the above still blocks the users from making any of the changes listed.

One probably needs to find a way to define which users i.e. "any" can do the allowed changes to the protected document.

Under point 4. above is the option to define "Permissions". If one do not change here, none gets the permissions.
But then how does one change that?

//Johan
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sw_777
sw_777
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This is a great solution for something that has puzzled me for years.
However, I just need one further tweak. 🤔

When unprotected, the table in my worksheet allows me to add additional rows by entering a new item in Column A and all formulae in the table is copied down to the new row.

When I protect the worksheet using the method above it now allows filtering and sorting, but it won't create a new row.

I have tried selecting "Format cells", "Format rows" and "Insert Rows" to no avail.
Any idea how I can achieve this functionality in a protected worksheet?
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Sunny
Sunny     sw_777
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Hi, sw_77, if you want to insert rows in a protect sheet, just tick Insert rows checkbox in the Ptrotect Sheet dialog when protecting sheet.
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Debbie Barry
Debbie Barry
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Ok so my issue is that i have the protection on and the fields people can edit - so only certain fields are locked. happy days.

however Only the filter works when protected and not sort :(

ive allowed sort and auto filter on the options but still no joy with sorting

any ideas
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