Refreshing a Pivot Table on a Protected Sheet

In Excel 2003, if you protect a worksheet, you’ll see a list of options, with specific items that can be allowed.

You can add a checkmark to “Use PivotTable reports”, so that people will be able to use the existing pivot tables on the worksheet.

protect worksheet settings

However, once the sheet is protected, you can’t create a new pivot table. Also, you won’t be able to refresh a pivot table on the worksheet, because that feature is disabled on a protected sheet. On the PivotTable toolbar, you can see that the Refresh button, and other features, are disabled.

pivot table toolbar with buttons disabled

Refresh the Pivot Table on a Protected Sheet

To refresh the pivot table on a protected worksheet,

  • temporarily unprotect the worksheet,
  • refresh the pivot table,
  • protect the sheet.

You can do this manually, or record a macro, then run that macro to refresh the pivot table.

More Protection Tips

There are more pivot table protection tips on my Contextures website.

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