Home → Troubleshooting → @RISK for Excel: Simulation → "Protected Workbook: This operation cannot be performed ..."
Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x
When I click Start Simulation or try other operations that involve a simulation, I get this message from @RISK:
Protected Workbook
This operation cannot be performed because worksheet 'name' is protected. However, if you provide the password to the worksheet, it can proceed. After the operation is complete, the worksheet will be reprotected.
This password is stored securely and will be used automatically in the future.
Below the message is a box for entering a password.
For technical reasons, during a simulation @RISK replaces all @RISK functions in your workbook with helper functions, and then swaps them back at the end of the simulation. It cannot do this if a worksheet that contains @RISK functions is protected against writing and is passworded, and therefore the simulation cannot proceed. You have several options:
If you want to protect the worksheet simply to avoid accidentally changing something, just protect it without a password. @RISK can work with protected worksheets if they are not passworded.
If you need to protect the sheet with a password, supply the password in the input box. You will not need to do it again, because the password will be stored in a hidden sheet in the workbook. (It's stored in encrypted form.)
The message appears only if a password-protected worksheet contains @RISK functions. If you would rather not tell @RISK the password, simply move the @RISK functions to cells in an unprotected sheet, and in the protected sheet refer to the cells that contain the @RISK functions.
If you want to password the whole workbook, not just a worksheet, see "GetPassword cannot be found."
Last edited: 2018-03-07