Locking Cells in Numbers (Almost!)

While there's no real way to lock cells in the current version of Numbers, I put a little trick in place that at least keeps people from clicking on the cells to edit them (they can still move into the cells with the arrow keys).
1. Use the menu Insert > Shape > Rectangle and then position the shape so it covers the cells you want to "protect."
2. Open the Inspector and go to the Graphic tab and make sure Color Fill is chosen. The rectangle should be hiding your cells. Now use the slide at the bottom of the Inspector and set the Opacity to 0% so your cells show through.
3. Under the Arrange menu choose Lock to keep the rectangle from moving.
Now when people click on the cells they're actually clicking on the invisible rectangle and the cells don't get selected.
Like I said, it's not what we'd all like, but it gets us part way there -- if it's useful for you, you're welcome. =:)
Jay Jennings

John and Jay,
This is a very common complaint and perhaps you've already done this: but if not, be sure to go to Menu: Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback. The more requests for a certain feature the Numbers techs get, the more likely they are to include it in the next upgrade.
pw

Similar Messages

  • How do i lock cells in numbers

    How do I lock cells in Numbers?  I'm trying to create a spread sheet that will have unused cells and I want to lock them so my associates don't accidentally fill them in and cause the finished product to look muddled.

    Wayne,
    I previously could lock tables in my Numbers tables in my Spreadsheets by tapping the top left corner and it would show up as an option to lock it. As of Numbers 2.0 (noticed today), I get the option to unlock tables, but not to relock them after making the corrections.
    Any thoughts?
    Thanks!

  • Lock cell in numbers

    Hi -
    I am using iWork09 - Is there a way to lock cells in numbers (calulated cells for eg), this in order to protect a user from inadvertently removing links, references etc ?
    many thanks

    x,
    In Numbers we may lock an entire table, but not selected cells. The best way to accomplish your objective is to place all your calculations in one locked table and your inputs in another, unlocked, table.
    Jerry

  • Tab past locked cells in numbers?

    does anyone know if you can lock individual cells in numbers? i need to be able to navigate from unlocked cell to unlocked cell avoiding all locked cells.
    it's easy in excel, we use complex vlookup formulas that return information to other cells and need to protect those formula cells from accidental deletion. protecting cells is also a nice way to limit tabbed navigation to unprotected cells only.
    does anyone know if i can do this with numbers, can't seem to find anything that suggest it can do it.
    thanks...

    Apparently cell locking is not supported. From Macworld's review:
    "There are also quite a few power user features missing from Numbers, such as custom number formats, pivot tables, cell naming, *cell locking*, password protection, splitting windows, and text orientation within a cell, among others."
    http://www.macworld.com/2007/08/reviews/numbers08/index.php

  • LOCKING CELLS IN "NUMBERS"

    I am new to Apple and am working in a spreadsheet in 'Numbers" I have tried to lock cells and tables and spreadsheets.  The solution provided by "Help" does not work as the  "Arrange - Lock" function is greyed out.  It seems odd that there are explanations within Help that do not work.  What am I doing wrong?

    Chris2929 wrote:
    Where do I find it?
    Chris,
    Your post has been moved to the proper discussion area. For future reference, go to All Content/Communities > iWork.
    Numbers, like the other iWork apps, has a great free User Guide. You can download if from the Help menu of Numbers.
    You will find that a Table can be locked, but a smaller portion of a table can't be locked. Since you can have manu tables per sheet, the best thing to do is to put those things that need to be locked in separate tables from the things that can't be locked.
    Arrange > Lock
    Jerry

  • How do you lock individule cells in numbers on ipad

    how do you lock individule cells in numbers on ipad

    Wayne, are you sure its iOS numbers that can lock the table? If so, could you please show me how? Havent figured it out yet.
    Thanks
    Jason

  • Can you 'lock' a cell in numbers?

    Was wondering if you can 'lock' or protect a cell in numbers like you can in excel?

    Alan,
    No, you can not lock an individual cell in Numbers unless that cell happens to be a 1-cell table. Entire tables may be locked, but no individual cells within a table. So, put all the stuff you want to lock into one table and all the stuff that will be dynamic into another.
    Arrange > Lock.
    Regards,
    Jerry

  • Protect cells in Numbers

    Is there a way to protect cells in Numbers so that they don't accidentally get overwritten?

    Hi gswank,
    You can lock the entire table.
    You can create an input table an have all your calculations elsewhere.
    If you are in iOS a form will not allow a formula to be overwritten.
    But no, you cannot protect individual cells.
    quinn

  • Protecting/Locking cells

    I use excel to make forms. I like to lock a cell that has a descriptive so that the user can just tab thru to to cells that require their imput. I am thrilled with all the customization Numbers will give me for the look of the these forms. But I can not find anything in the documentaion about locking cells or protecting the sheet. Does anyone one know if this exists? I would love to put Excel away (as I have with Wrok) and use Numbers instead.

    Hi Msredhd,
    Welcome to Numbers discussions.
    At present locking cells and locking the entire work sheet isn't supported. Please send a message to the Numbers team. Click Numbers then Provide Numbers Feedback. The more of us that request it the more likely it will be offered.
    Sincerely,
    RicD

  • Protect sheet / lock cells?

    Is it possible to protect or lock certain cells in Numbers so that other users cannot change my data? I want users to be able to input data in some cells BUT not have access to other cells.
    Thank you for your time!

    Do you know of any apps for iPad that allow users to protect or lock certain cells within a spreadsheet?
    Thanks!

  • Locking cells

    From a quick search, it appears several times people have asked whether certain cells and formulas can be locked. Apparently the question is no.
    Has anyone pursued trying to build an AppleScript front end to a Numbers spreadsheet, where several users can collect data and then post to the spreadsheet, beyond their immediate access?
    Granted AS has limited user interface options, but if you used Xcode, you could create whatever you wanted with Interface Builder.
    Not a perfect solution -- a malfeasant could still corrupt the data -- but it might prevent lots of the mistakes that concern the people who want locked cells.
    doug

    Doug Tallman wrote:
    Badunit wrote:
    If you really want to use Numbers, if you can put the data entry in one table and the formulas in another, you can lock the formula table(s) while leaving the data entry table(s) unlocked.
    I think this is the best solution, at least for now.
    I don't know the guy's full set up, but I'm intrigued by the idea of creating an AppleScript front end, maybe using Xcode, and sending data to a networked computer running Numbers.
    If documents may be open by several users simultaneously, you may be sure that they will be destroyed.
    iWork components are not designed for this use.
    The application is unaware of the fact that a document is open from machine A when machine B try to open it too.
    Given that, internal links are fooled and when a machine saves, we get an empty document.
    Don't forget what the license states:
    B. iWork Single User License. This License allows you to install and use one copy of the Apple Software (whether trial or full version) on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time. This License does not allow the Apple Software to exist on more than one computer at a time, _and you may not make the Apple Software available over a network where it could be used by multiple computers at the same time._ You may make one copy of the Apple Software in machine-readable form for backup purposes only; provided that the backup copy must include all copyright or other proprietary notices contained on the original.
    Yvan KOENIG (from FRANCE jeudi 6 août 2009 18:05:28)

  • How can I lock cells?

    Many solutions cannot be done effectively without the ability to lock cells from entry.  What am i missing?

    Hi artysan,
    I don't know what you want as a response here. I used Excel briefly and long ago so I don't have certain expectaions of Numbers. I do believe Excel is a more high-powered program but I have never been stuck not being able to do something. Applescript to refresh my popups!
    There are somethings in Numbers that will be much easier and others will require workarounds. if you want Numbers to work like Excel you will be hearing more of, "No, you can't do that in Numbers." I think the truth is more like, "No you can't do it that way in Numbers."
    I have no great fondness for nested Ifs. Lookup tables cover those for me and all those values are tucked away on their own sheet.
    I don't know if any of this is helpful. Good Luck!
    quinn

  • How to print a specific cell in numbers

    how to print a specific cell in numbers?

    Copy the cell (contents), Paste onto a page of a separate document, or onto a separate sheet of your Numbers document, Print.
    Or insert a single cell table onto your Numbers document, type an = sign in the cell then click on the cell you want to print. Drag the new table to a second sheet, set up your page there, and print.
    See the Numbers '09 User Guide for other useful tools and techniques. Download the guide via the Help menu in Nuimbers.
    Regards,
    Barry

  • How can I insert an image into a cell in Numbers for iPad?

    Hi,
    is there any way to insert an image inside a cell using Numbers for iPad? I tried doing it on desktop version and it works, then I shared it through iwork.com and downloaded into my iPad and it's showing fine on the iPad ( although there's no way to edit or change the image inside the cell ) but when I try to do the same task on iPad itself, the image always comes floating even if I place the cursor inside a cell before inserting.
    any idea how to do it or if it's even possible?
    thanks.
    John

    Images can be added to cells only as "image fill." Cell fill is an attribute of the cell, not content of the cell. Only cell content can be retrieved by a formula or by copying the content of the cell.
    Copying the cell will also copy its format, including the image fill, but I've found no way to extract the image from the cell.
    Regards,
    Barry

  • Counting words in a single cell in Numbers'09

    Hi there,
    I'm relatively new to Mac world, but I do have years of computer experience from a PC and have also had to do with Macs at the age of first eMacs . I have finally decided to switch to the brighter side of life (hopefully ;)).
    But here is my question: I need to count words in a cell in Numbers'09.
    Is there a specific function combination for achieving this? My idea was: strip excessive spaces, count the occurencies of all space character in a cell, add 1 and voila! Problem is I can not achieve it using formulas in Numbers'09. I have found some help for Excell but the formulas are a little different. And well, I would like to leave the past behind and stick to a Apple programs - if I can. I don't like the idea to install Excell on a Windows Bootcamp partion only for this purpose.
    Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
    Aleksander

    Badunit wrote:
    Yvan once had a list of all the different localizations. He may still have it.
    I'm late but, I was very busy
    The table with every localized functions names is (and will remain) available on my iDisk :
    <http://public.me.com/koenigyvan>
    Download :
    For_iWork:iWork '09:functionsNames.numbers.zip
    An easy soluce for foreign users (like me) is to duplicate Numbers.app and remove its languages resources minus English.
    Running it you will have it running in English (minus the decimal and the parameters separators, minus also date time formats and default currency).
    It would be easy to enter the formulas given in this forum.
    Once saved, we may open the doc in the 'standard' Numbers and the formulas will be automatically localized.
    Yvan KOENIG (VALLAURIS, France) mardi 2 mars 2010 18:30:45

Maybe you are looking for