Protect formulas and keep input cells editable in WPS Spreadsheet

Quick answer: Give the input cells an unlocked setting, keep the formula cells locked, and then enable sheet protection. A Locked cell setting alone does not activate edit restrictions. Work on a copy and test both kinds of cell before distributing it.

Build the two-item practice sheet

Enter this small layout manually. The formulas belong in C2 and C3, not as quoted text.

Row	A: Item	B: Quantity input	C: Calculated total
2	Notebook	2	=B2*4.50
3	Pen	3	=B3*1.25

The initial results should be 9 and 3.75. In C4 enter =SUM(C2:C3) for 12.75; SUM explains the total. If your formula locale uses a different decimal separator, enter the equivalent local decimal values.

The intended editable range is B2:B3. C2:C4 must remain formula cells. Labels can remain locked too: the aim is to leave designated inputs editable, rather than unlocking everything that is not a formula.

Configure the lock states before protecting

1. If the copy is already protected and you are authorized to change it, use Review → Unprotect Sheet and supply its password if required. Do not try to bypass another person’s restrictions.
2. Select B2:B3. Right-click Format Cells, open Protection, clear Locked, and confirm.
3. Select C2:C4. Reopen Format Cells → Protection, explicitly check Locked, and confirm. Do not rely on an ambiguous mixed-selection indicator.
4. Choose Review → Protect Sheet. Keep selection of unlocked cells allowed. For this simple exercise, avoid granting actions that you do not need, such as inserting rows or formatting cells.
5. If you use a password, keep it safely and complete any confirmation prompt. Save the workbook copy in a workbook format, not CSV.

WPS’s editable-ranges instructions document clearing Locked through Format Cells. Its Locked and Hidden lesson explicitly requires Protect Sheet for lock attributes to take effect. Hidden is optional and is not required for this exercise; keeping formulas visible makes checking easier.

Test the protected result

• Change B2 from 2 to 4. The input should accept the edit; C2 should become 18 and C4 21.75.
• Try replacing C2 with 999. The protected formula should reject the edit. If it succeeds, undo immediately and recheck C2’s lock state and active sheet protection.
• Restore B2 to 2. Confirm C4 returns to 12.75.
• Save, close and reopen the workbook, then repeat the input and formula tests. Repeat them in the recipient’s actual software if you will exchange the file.

These are expected checkpoints, not results observed in a WPS session. CSV cannot carry cell-lock settings or worksheet protection.

Recovery and security limits

If inputs are blocked, unprotect your copy, reselect B2:B3 and clear Locked again, then reprotect. If all cells remain editable, check that protection was enabled after assigning cell attributes. Selecting a locked cell is different from being allowed to alter it.

WPS Help distinguishes worksheet edit restrictions from workbook-structure protection. Neither should be described as file-open encryption or a substitute for access permissions. This workflow prevents unwanted edits in a cooperating spreadsheet application; it does not establish confidentiality or strong security against a determined recipient. Keep an unprotected master safely if your process needs one, and do not assume a format conversion preserves restrictions.

Version and testing scope

This guide follows the cited WPS desktop documentation. The exact installed build and free-versus-paid availability were not verified. It was not tested in WPS Spreadsheet; expected values were checked independently, and no application screenshots are claimed. Desktop controls do not establish Android or Web parity. Test your actual edition with the small sample before applying the procedure to an important workbook.