Password Protection of Excel-based Software to Unique Users

[sscott1985]

So, I've developed a small piece of Excel-based software that I'm thinking would benefit from some sort of password protection. Basically, I aim to sell the software in some form but I would like to at least try to limit piracy on some level. I'm not a huge VBA-user but I'm not exactly scared by it either and I have time to learn before the software's release. Anyway, I've read up a small bit regarding password protecting the worksheet, however, I'm not sure how useful it will be. Couldn't anyone who shares the worksheet online just share the sign-in credentials needed to open it? Is there some way to make it so the worksheet is linked to one machine to limit sharing? I can't really speak from experience on how to protect this software since this is my first endeavour into selling software so I'm depending on some help from the group.

On a sidenote, I've already thought that I may start with some sort of maze of if statements to make it so that only things I want to be edited can be edited. Basically, I'm planning on making it so that if someone deletes certain cells that refer to me as the creator that the software will compromise the rest of the worksheet's coding. This way, anyone planning on hiding me as the creator for the purpose of repacking it will ruin the worksheet's functionality.

Another thread I read really got too far into the hypotheticals of piracy in general. I understand that "pirater's gonna pirate", I just want to attempt to keep things at least a little secured. Anyway, thoughts?

 

[sscott1985]

For instance, I sort of like the idea of the following link but I don't really know how to apply it: Anti-piracy procedure for Excel workbook - Stack Overflow

Again, don't tell me my file is bound to be pirated, just tell me how to at least keep the honest people honest.

 

[Smitty]

Welcome to the Board!

Have a look at Software Licensing | Software Protection

I've used it for two customers and it works great, but it's a bit pricey and does take some getting used to the interface.

HTH,

 

[sscott1985]

Not worth it. This is a very small endeavour and I'll be lucky to have a few customers in the first year at what I'm thinking will basically be $5 a pop. I'm thinking if I can get 200 people to buy it, I'd be laughing but I'm probably dreaming. Basically, the software is something I've been working on a few years now for personal applications and I finally figured I'd try to see if there was money to make with it. I'll look to see what you've got at the link but I doubt it will be useful if it is, indeed, "pricey". The nice thing about my product is that it is only applicable for a short period per year and needs an update every year, therefore, it will only really be worth pirating for a short time.