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Secure documents and files
 
Adapted from The Paralegal's Guide to the Microsoft Office System by Dorian S. Berger and Anthony T. Mann

The security of legal files is very important. Because many law firms are concerned about file security, they instruct their information technology (IT) departments, if they have one, to secure their servers, disk drives, and folders so that only authorized people in the firm can read and save files. For example, in your firm, the IT department may provide access to folders for specific clients only to the lawyers and paralegals who work with those clients.

Is this all that is required of your firm to secure its documents and files? It's a great first step, but you are responsible for ensuring the security of your own files. You can protect your Microsoft Office 2003 files, including files for Microsoft Office Word 2003, Microsoft Office Excel 2003, and Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003.

Self-storage of your files

Computer files are stored in a folder on a disk drive on a server or computer. Each component has its own name and security settings, which can be confusing if you're not sure where a file is saved on the computer (or server), on the drive, or in a folder structure. Your IT department is responsible for ensuring that only the appropriate users have access to these servers, drives, and folders.

Why you need to secure individual files   Even with the security enforced by your firm's IT department for servers, drives, and folders, you still need to ensure the security of your own files. For example, say that you have secured a client's legal document by ensuring that only the appropriate people in your firm have permission to access the folder where your document is stored. However, at the client's request, you send the document by e-mail to a third party. Because it no longer resides on your firm's server, the document is no longer secure and you or your firm could be held accountable for any security breaches.

To remedy this situation, you must secure the document, spreadsheet, or presentation files themselves. Securing a file involves setting properties that are stored within the file itself so that the security settings always travel with the files.

Protecting Microsoft Office 2003 files

It's easy to protect documents in Word 2003, Excel 2003, and PowerPoint 2003. The level of protection available for each of these programs varies depending on the type of files involved.

ShowTo protect a Word 2003 document

Protecting Word 2003 documents from unauthorized changes is easy. Follow these steps:

  1. On the Tools menu, click Protect Document. The Protect Document task pane opens.

    Protect Document screen

    The pane is divided into three sections:
    • Formatting restrictions   This option limits users to a preselected set of formatting styles. You may not need to change the settings in this section because selecting this option prevents users only from modifying the document's formatting.
    • Editing restrictions   Select this option to limit users' ability to modify the document.
    • Start enforcement   Select this option to begin protecting the file based on the formatting and modification restrictions you choose.
  2. Click Allow only this type of editing in the document.
  3. Select from the following options that appear in the list box:
    • Tracked changes   Select this option to allow users to make tracked changes to the document.
    • Comments   Select this option to allow users to make comments in the document but to prohibit users from changing the document.
    • Filling in forms   Select this option to allow users to enter values only in form fields.
    • No changes   Select this option to prohibit anyone from making changes to the document unless they know the password to unprotect the document. This is the default option.
  4. If you selected Comments or No changes, you can specify exceptions so that specific people can modify designated parts of the document.

    ShowTo allow exceptions to modification restrictions

    1. Select the parts of the document that you want to allow people to modify.
    2. Click the group of people who you want to allow to modify the document.
    3. If you don't see a group or user that you want to allow to modify the file, click More users.
    4. Type the user's logon ID or e-mail address, and click OK.
  5. Click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection. The Start Enforcing Protection dialog box appears.

    Start Enforcing Protection dialog box

  6. Select either Password or User authentication for the method of protection. If you select Password and enter a known password, a user must enter the password before protection can be removed. If you select User authentication, authenticated users can remove document protection.

     Note   An authenticated user is one who successfully logs on to his or her computer or to the network that is attached to the computer.

  7. Click OK.

ShowTo unprotect a Word 2003 document

  1. On the Tools menu, click Unprotect Document.
  2. Type the password for the document.

ShowTo protect an Excel 2003 worksheet

In Excel 2003, you can protect the following:

  • An entire worksheet
  • Ranges of cells
  • A workbook and all of its worksheets

To protect a worksheet:

  1. Select the worksheet.
  2. On the Tools menu, point to Protection, and click Protect Sheet. The Protect Sheet dialog box appears.

    Protect Sheet dialog box

  3. Type a password, which is necessary to unprotect the worksheet, in the Password to unprotect sheet box.
  4. If you want to allow all users of the worksheet to perform actions in the worksheet when it is locked, select from the options shown in the following table.
    Protect Sheet dialog box options Description
    Select locked cells Allows a user to select a cell that is locked. A locked cell prevents unauthorized users from changing the value or formatting of a cell when it is protected. This option is selected by default. See the note that follows table.
    Select unlocked cells Allows a user to select a cell that is not locked. This option is selected by default. See the note that follows table.
    Format cells Allows a user to change the formatting (for example, font, color, or alignment) of a cell.
    Format columns Allows a user to change the formatting of a column of cells.
    Format rows Allows a user to change the formatting of a row of cells.
    Insert columns Allows a user to insert a column into a worksheet.
    Insert rows Allows a user to insert a row into a worksheet.
    Insert hyperlinks Allows a user to insert a hyperlink into a cell.
    Delete columns Allows a user to delete a column from a worksheet.
    Delete rows Allows a user to delete a row from a worksheet.
    Sort Allows a user to sort data in a worksheet by using the Sort command on the Data menu.
    Use AutoFilter Allows a user to use the AutoFilter command, which allows a user to limit the data displayed by populating a list of distinct values of data in a range.
    Use PivotTable reports Allows a user to run reports by using the PivotTable feature.
    Edit objects Allows a user to modify objects such as images.
    Edit scenarios Allows a user to modify what-if scenarios.

     Note   Because by default you can select locked and unlocked cells, the default is set to allow users to select any cell. If a spreadsheet is unlocked by using a password, then a user can perform any action. Therefore, the options that you select in the Protect Sheet dialog box apply to a sheet that is still protected.

  5. Click OK to protect your worksheet.

ShowTo unprotect an Excel 2003 worksheet

  1. On the Tools menu, point to Protection, and click Unprotect Sheet.
  2. Type the password for the worksheet.

ShowTo protect a PowerPoint 2003 presentation

In PowerPoint 2003, you can protect a presentation in one of two ways: protect it from being opened or protect it from being modified.

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  2. Click the Security tab.

    Security options for PowerPoint 2003

  3. To require a password for a user to open the PowerPoint 2003 presentation, type a password in the Password to open box.
  4. To require a password for a user to modify the PowerPoint 2003 presentation, type a password in the Password to modify box.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Type any passwords that you changed.

ShowTo unprotect a PowerPoint 2003 presentation

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  2. Type the password or passwords for the presentation.

Knowing your files are secure

Even though your IT department is responsible for controlling the security of your firm's server, folders, and files, the security of your individual files is your responsibility. If you monitor the security within Word 2003, Excel 2003, and PowerPoint 2003 files and don't just rely on the security policy enforced by your firm's IT department, you can rest assured that your files are secure, even if you need to send them outside your firm.

About the authors   Dorian S. Berger is a product manager at Microsoft Corporation. Anthony T. Mann is the president and CEO of the Mann Publishing Group, which specializes in publishing business and technology titles. This article is adapted from The Paralegal's Guide to the Microsoft Office System.

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