Microsoft Knowledge Base

Excel: Custom Formula Tools Don't Work on Protected Document
Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
Article ID: Q103282
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.0a
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you are using a protected document, you may receive an error message when you attempt to use some of the custom tools from the Formula category of the Customize dialog box (even if the cells they are being used on are not locked).

CAUSE

In most cases, when you try to use these custom formula tools you will receive the following error message: 

   Cannot use that command on a protected document
However, when you use some of these tools, you will receive the error message 

   Locked cells cannot be changed
even though the cells that the tools are being used on are unlocked.

This problem occurs with the following formula tools.

Microsoft Excel versions 4.0 and 4.0a for Windows

Equal Sign "=" Plus Sign "+" Minus Sign "-" Multiplication Sign "*" Division Sign "/" Exponentiation Sign "^" Left Parenthesis "(" Right Parenthesis ")" Comma "," Percent Sign "%" Dollar Sign "$" Colon ":"

Microsoft Excel for version 4.0 the Macintosh

Equal Sign "=" Plus Sign "+" Minus Sign "-" Multiplication Sign "*" Division Sign "/" Exponentiation Sign "^" Left Parenthesis "(" Right Parenthesis ")" Comma "," Percent Sign "%"

NOTE: The Dollar Sign ("$") tool and the Colon (":") tool only display this behavior in the Windows version.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft Excel listed above. This problem does not occur in later versions.

MORE INFORMATION

You can use custom formula tools when you create formulas. For example, if you want to enter the formula =10+10, you can use the Equal Sign ("=") and Plus Sign ("+") tools to create the formula instead of typing these characters on the keyboard.

To use the custom tools in the Formula category in the Customize dialog box:

  1. From the Options menu, Choose Toolbars.

  2. Choose the Customize button.

  3. Under Categories, select Formula and follow the instructions in the Customize dialog box.

REFERENCES

"User's Guide 2," version 4.0, pages 178-179

KBCategory: kbinterop
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: 4.00 4.00a protection customized command
macro



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Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.