Security concern: Google Sheets, Zoho Sheets

[leopardhawk]

Hello forum friends, I have spent a considerable amount of time developing a spreadsheet that I would like to make available to others through the web. There are many formulas within the workbook that I consider proprietary and consequently, I have hidden those cells and password protected the workbook. This works great when the workbook is opened in Excel. Users are able to take full advantage of the functionality of the workbook but are unable to see any of the formulas that are hidden or change any of the cells that are locked.

Maybe I am missing something here but I have discovered that when the exact same workbook is opened in Google Sheets or Zoho Sheets, all of my formulas are all as visible as the noonday sun on a cloudless day!!! Does anyone else share the same concern here that I have? It makes no sense to me how an online application can so easily defeat this Excel feature.

I have also noted that features like Conditional Formatting and Data Validation do not carry over well to either of these apps. Seriously, none of my Data Validation input messages are showing in either app, CF doesn't work at all in Google Sheets and while Zoho Sheets is displaying the CF, the formatting is all REVERSED... Very strange if you ask me, and there are likely other apps out there what will do the same thing.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[Fluff]

Firstly, Excel is not secure, never has been & never will be.
Secondly I'm not surprised that some parts of the workbook don't function properly in other apps, as they are not the same as Excel.
Whilst there maybe a lot of similarities between different spreadsheet apps, there are also going to be a lot of differences.

 

[MARK858]

The way I look at it you wouldn't expect engine parts from a BMW to work on a Merc even though they are similar so you shouldn't expect everything from MS to work on Google programs.

 

[leopardhawk]

@Fluff @MARK858 Thanks guys, regarding the formatting and such, I can understand what both of you are saying. The security is my big concern. I mean. what good is locking, hiding and password protecting a workbook if it is so easy to defeat? Geesh! Anyway, thanks again for your replies!