I’m working on a Google Sheets project and I’ve run into a bit of a snag. I’ve got an Apps Script that relies on specific sheet names to function properly. The problem is, I need to let others edit the contents of the sheets, but I don’t want them accidentally changing the sheet names.
I know you can lock down entire sheets, but that’s not what I’m after. Is there a way to just protect the sheet names while keeping everything else editable? I’ve looked around but can’t seem to find a straightforward answer.
Has anyone dealt with this before? Any tips or workarounds would be super helpful. Thanks in advance for your input!
Unfortunately, there’s no built-in feature in Google Sheets to protect just the sheet names. However, I’ve found a workaround that might help. You can use Apps Script to create a trigger that runs whenever the spreadsheet is edited. In this script, you can check if any sheet names have been changed and revert them if necessary. It’s not foolproof, as there’s a slight delay, but it’s worked well for me in similar situations. You’ll need to maintain a list of ‘approved’ sheet names in your script. This approach allows full editing of sheet contents while maintaining the integrity of your sheet names. Just be sure to communicate this setup to your collaborators to avoid confusion.
As someone who’s been in your shoes, I can tell you there’s no foolproof way to protect just sheet names in Google Sheets. However, I’ve found a decent workaround that might help. I use a combination of sheet protection and custom functions.
First, I protect all sheets, but only restrict editing of the sheet name and grid. This allows users to edit cell contents but not structural elements. Then, I create custom functions or a sidebar interface for users to interact with the data. This way, they never need direct access to the sheets.
It’s not perfect - power users might still find ways around it - but it’s served me well in most collaborative projects. Just remember to thoroughly test your script’s functionality with these restrictions in place.
hey there, i’ve faced this issue before. one trick i use is hiding the sheet tabs completely. go to View > Hide sheet tabs. this way, ppl can’t see or change sheet names. they can still edit content thru cell references or custom menus u set up. not perfect, but it works for me. good luck!