Trying to protect a document

I am trying to protect a document so that users can edit certain fields but
not edit the form itself. I have drop down options, checkboxes & field text
options in my document.
When I protect the document by selecting "Tools" & "Protect Document" the
drop downs, checkboxes & field text options do not work. If I click the lock
on the "Form" toolbox I can use these fields however it is possible to
unprotect the document by simply clicking on the toolbar at the top under
"Tools" & then select "Unprotect Document" & the document is then
unprotected. How can I protect the form so that these fields are available?

You don't say what version of Word you're using. If it's Word 2002 or 2003
and you get a Protect Document task pane when you choose Tools | Protect
Document, then you have to check the box for "Editing restrictions" and
select "Filling in forms." When you click "Yes, start enforcing protection,"
you get a dialog in which you can add a password if desired. Note, however,
that forms protection is easily defeated by inserting the protected form in
a new document.

If you're using an older version of Word, you should be getting some sort of
dialog (which will allow you to set a password) when you click Tools |
Protect Document.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"vblaradetrich" wrote in message
...
I am trying to protect a document so that users can edit certain fields
but
not edit the form itself. I have drop down options, checkboxes & field
text
options in my document.
When I protect the document by selecting "Tools" & "Protect Document" the
drop downs, checkboxes & field text options do not work. If I click the
lock
on the "Form" toolbox I can use these fields however it is possible to
unprotect the document by simply clicking on the toolbar at the top under
"Tools" & then select "Unprotect Document" & the document is then
unprotected. How can I protect the form so that these fields are
available?

Thanks that worked. I thought I tried that but I guess I didn't do something
right.
You mentioned that this can be easily manipulated when inserted into a new
document. How is this avoidable or corrected?
--
ldd


"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

You don't say what version of Word you're using. If it's Word 2002 or 2003
and you get a Protect Document task pane when you choose Tools | Protect
Document, then you have to check the box for "Editing restrictions" and
select "Filling in forms." When you click "Yes, start enforcing protection,"
you get a dialog in which you can add a password if desired. Note, however,
that forms protection is easily defeated by inserting the protected form in
a new document.

If you're using an older version of Word, you should be getting some sort of
dialog (which will allow you to set a password) when you click Tools |
Protect Document.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"vblaradetrich" wrote in message
...
I am trying to protect a document so that users can edit certain fields
but
not edit the form itself. I have drop down options, checkboxes & field
text
options in my document.
When I protect the document by selecting "Tools" & "Protect Document" the
drop downs, checkboxes & field text options do not work. If I click the
lock
on the "Form" toolbox I can use these fields however it is possible to
unprotect the document by simply clicking on the toolbar at the top under
"Tools" & then select "Unprotect Document" & the document is then
unprotected. How can I protect the form so that these fields are
available?

There is no workaround except to hope for user ignorance. The document
Properties may reveal that the form has been inserted in a new document and
saved, and I suppose close inspection of the form would reveal whether
anything has been changed, but there's really no way around it, and of
course it's a lifesaver when you find yourself needing to edit a form
password-protected by an employee who has left the firm! Note that this is
the *only* type of password that is so easily defeated. A password to open
or modify encrypts the document and is extremely difficult to break.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"vblaradetrich1" wrote in message
...
Thanks that worked. I thought I tried that but I guess I didn't do
something
right.
You mentioned that this can be easily manipulated when inserted into a new
document. How is this avoidable or corrected?
--
ldd


"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

You don't say what version of Word you're using. If it's Word 2002 or
2003
and you get a Protect Document task pane when you choose Tools | Protect
Document, then you have to check the box for "Editing restrictions" and
select "Filling in forms." When you click "Yes, start enforcing
protection,"
you get a dialog in which you can add a password if desired. Note,
however,
that forms protection is easily defeated by inserting the protected form
in
a new document.

If you're using an older version of Word, you should be getting some
sort of
dialog (which will allow you to set a password) when you click Tools |
Protect Document.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"vblaradetrich" wrote in
message
...
I am trying to protect a document so that users can edit certain
fields
but
not edit the form itself. I have drop down options, checkboxes & field
text
options in my document.
When I protect the document by selecting "Tools" & "Protect Document"
the
drop downs, checkboxes & field text options do not work. If I click
the
lock
on the "Form" toolbox I can use these fields however it is possible to
unprotect the document by simply clicking on the toolbar at the top
under
"Tools" & then select "Unprotect Document" & the document is then
unprotected. How can I protect the form so that these fields are
available?

Thanks. It works for this form b/c the integrity of the form is only
necessesary when they return the form as is. But it's good to know that
password workaround exists.
--
ldd


"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

There is no workaround except to hope for user ignorance. The document
Properties may reveal that the form has been inserted in a new document and
saved, and I suppose close inspection of the form would reveal whether
anything has been changed, but there's really no way around it, and of
course it's a lifesaver when you find yourself needing to edit a form
password-protected by an employee who has left the firm! Note that this is
the *only* type of password that is so easily defeated. A password to open
or modify encrypts the document and is extremely difficult to break.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"vblaradetrich1" wrote in message
...
Thanks that worked. I thought I tried that but I guess I didn't do
something
right.
You mentioned that this can be easily manipulated when inserted into a new
document. How is this avoidable or corrected?
--
ldd


"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

You don't say what version of Word you're using. If it's Word 2002 or
2003
and you get a Protect Document task pane when you choose Tools | Protect
Document, then you have to check the box for "Editing restrictions" and
select "Filling in forms." When you click "Yes, start enforcing
protection,"
you get a dialog in which you can add a password if desired. Note,
however,
that forms protection is easily defeated by inserting the protected form
in
a new document.

If you're using an older version of Word, you should be getting some
sort of
dialog (which will allow you to set a password) when you click Tools |
Protect Document.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"vblaradetrich" wrote in
message
...
I am trying to protect a document so that users can edit certain
fields
but
not edit the form itself. I have drop down options, checkboxes & field
text
options in my document.
When I protect the document by selecting "Tools" & "Protect Document"
the
drop downs, checkboxes & field text options do not work. If I click
the
lock
on the "Form" toolbox I can use these fields however it is possible to
unprotect the document by simply clicking on the toolbar at the top
under
"Tools" & then select "Unprotect Document" & the document is then
unprotected. How can I protect the form so that these fields are
available?