Select the range (column A??)
Format|cells|protection tab|check Locked
(this should be the default, actually--but it doesn't hurt to check)

With column A still selected
Edit|goto|special
click blanks
Format|cells|protection tab|uncheck lock

Then protect the sheet.
Tools|Protection|protect sheet.

ps.

If you want to sort your data and then get it back to the original order, you
can do this.

Use a helper column. Put 1, 2, 3, ... down that column.

Then sort your data by the column(s) you want.

Do your work

And then sort your data by this helper column.

and then remove that helper column.

GOL wrote:
>
> Ok, I again have 1,000 contacts, with 4 blank rows underneath each contact
> (5,000 total rows). Now I need to lock the rows with writing in them, but
> leave the blank rows (4 under each contact) writeable. Again I do not have
> time to go through and highlight each set of 4 blank cells to make them
> unprotected. I also tried sorting first, but I cannot unsort after
> protecting the worksheet. Any suggestions?

--

Dave Peterson