One accidental keystroke can break hours of formula work. Lock formula cells while keeping data entry areas editable. This balance - protected structure with accessible input areas - keeps budgets working correctly month after month.
Our spreadsheet templates come with formulas pre-protected. But understanding how protection works helps with customization and building your own spreadsheets.
Google Sheets
Google Sheets offers two approaches to cell protection. The right choice depends on whether you want to start from “everything protected” or “everything editable.”
Protecting the entire sheet with exceptions works when most cells need protection. Right-click the sheet tab and select “Protect sheet.” Click “Set permissions.” Under “Except certain cells,” add the data entry ranges that need to remain editable - like the cells where you enter transactions or amounts. Choose who can edit the protected areas. Click Done.
This approach works well for budget templates where formulas and structure cover most of the sheet, with specific input areas for data entry.
Protecting specific ranges works when most cells stay editable and only certain areas need locking. Select the cells to protect - typically formula cells. Go to Data and then Protected sheets and ranges. Click “Add a sheet or range.” Name the protected area descriptively - like “Formulas” or “Dashboard calculations.” Set permissions to control who can edit.
This approach fits simpler budgets where only a few calculated cells need protection.
Excel
Excel handles protection differently from Google Sheets. By default, all cells are “locked” but this has no effect until you protect the sheet. The process requires two steps: unlock cells you want editable, then turn on protection.
First, unlock the data entry cells. Select the cells you want to remain editable - where you’ll enter transactions, amounts, dates. Right-click and choose Format Cells. Go to the Protection tab and uncheck “Locked.” Click OK. These cells will stay editable after protection is enabled.
Then protect the sheet. Go to Review and click Protect Sheet. Enter an optional password if you want to prevent unauthorized unprotection. Click OK. Now only the cells you explicitly unlocked can be edited - everything else is protected.
The counterintuitive part: you mark editable cells as “unlocked,” not protected cells as “locked.” All cells start locked; you’re choosing which ones to exempt.
What to Lock
Deciding what to protect requires understanding which cells contain structure versus data.
Always lock formulas, headers, category names, and reference data. These define how the budget works - they’re the structure. Accidentally deleting a formula breaks calculations. Changing a header confuses navigation.
Keep editable the cells where you enter information: transaction amounts, income entries, dates, notes, and any other data that changes each time you update the budget. These are inputs, not structure.
Budget amounts occupy a gray area. Some people lock them after setting up the budget - the allocation is decided and doesn’t change mid-month. Others leave them editable to adjust as circumstances change. Choose based on how you use your budget.
| Column | Type | Lock? |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Label | Yes |
| Budget | Amount | Maybe |
| Actual | Data entry | No |
| Difference | Formula | Yes |
Common Issues
Protection sometimes causes unexpected behavior. Here are common problems and their solutions.
Can’t edit cells that should be editable is frustrating when you need to enter data. Check protected ranges by going to Data and then Protected sheets and ranges - you may have accidentally included those cells. In Google Sheets, verify you’re logged into the correct Google account, as permissions are tied to accounts.
Formula accidentally overwritten happens when protection wasn’t set up in time. Undo (Ctrl+Z or Cmd+Z) if the change was recent. For older changes, check version history by going to File and then Version history - you can restore previous versions or copy formulas from earlier snapshots.
Common Questions
Can others see formulas in protected cells?
Yes. Protection prevents editing, not viewing. Anyone with view access can see the formulas by clicking on protected cells. If formula secrecy matters - which is rare for personal budgets - consider hiding rows or using different sharing approaches.
Does protection work on mobile devices?
Yes, the same restrictions apply on mobile. Users can’t edit protected cells regardless of device. The protection settings travel with the file.
Can different tabs have different protection settings?
Yes. Each sheet in a workbook can have different protection settings. This is useful for budgets where some tabs need frequent editing while others - like summary dashboards - are mostly formulas.
Related
- Annual Budget Template - formulas pre-protected for safe data entry
- Monthly Budget Template - formulas pre-protected
- Conditional Formatting for Budget Tracking
- How to Create Drop-Down Lists for Budgeting