Recommended Setup for Your Board Workbook

1. Protect the worksheets with your private admin password

Use this for the tabs/sheets:

Review → Protect Sheet

This stops board members from changing locked cells. Microsoft describes worksheet protection as preventing others from changing, moving, or deleting important data.

Use a password like:

Admin/Edit Password: only you keep this.

2. Protect the workbook structure with the same private admin password

Use this for the tabs/workbook structure:

Review → Protect Workbook → Structure

This prevents users from adding, moving, deleting, hiding, or renaming worksheets.

Use the same admin/edit password as above, unless you want even tighter control.

3. Encrypt the whole file with a separate board-view password

Use this so nobody can even open the document unless they know the password:

File → Info → Protect Workbook → Encrypt with Password

This is the password you give board members. Microsoft’s process for file-level protection is exactly this: File → Info → Protect Workbook → Encrypt with Password.

Use a different password like:

Board/View Password: board members can open the workbook, but cannot edit protected sheets.

Best Practice

Use two passwords:

1. Board opening password — shared with board members so they can open and view the document.
2. Admin editing password — kept private so only you can unprotect sheets, change formulas, edit locked cells, or restructure tabs.

Do not give board members the sheet/workbook protection password.

Important Note

If a board member has the open/encryption password, they can open the file. They still should not be able to change protected sheets or the workbook structure unless they also have the admin/edit password.