Save As Restrictions

[jrisebo]

We keep our files in a shared network folder. Users can open the spreadsheet, and then should save as to a separate location. Our IT department wont restrict the folder to read only, so anyone can overwrite the files inside it. I want to eliminate one way to do that by having code in the file not allowing the spreadsheet be saved in the folder. Anyway to do that?

 

[Joe4]

You can use VBA, specifically a "Before Save" event procedure script to ensure that they do not save the file to the specified location.
Of course, the caveat there is that VBA needs to be enable in order for that code to fire (so if they do not enable VBA code on their computer, the code will never run).

What I have seen people to is also add "On Open" and "On Close" VBA code, so that the data/worksheets are hidden, unless they enable VBA.
So they try to render the workbook unusable unless they opt to enable VBA.

 

[jrisebo]

Those using the files have VBA enabled. The spreadsheet has a button to do a save as to the network folder based on project number, but sometimes people just open it, change ****, then hit save. I want it to not be allowed to be saved to the originating folder. So code to not let it save to a specfic folder, any other folder I could care less how often they save.

 

[Joe4]

Yes, you can use the Before Save event to do that.
See: Application.WorkbookBeforeSave event (Excel)

 

[jrisebo]

Yes, you can use the Before Save event to do that.
See: Application.WorkbookBeforeSave event (Excel)

I thought about that. I want it to be 100% that the file cannot be saved in the originating folder, but once saved somewhere else, then they can save as much as they want.

 

[Joe4]

I thought about that. I want it to be 100% that the file cannot be saved in the originating folder, but once saved somewhere else, then they can save as much as they want.

So what is the concern with using that method then?
Provided that they have enabled VBA, and saving it from that Excel file, that should be fairly simple to do.

 

[jrisebo]

So what is the concern with using that method then?
Provided that they have enabled VBA, and saving it from that Excel file, that should be fairly simple to do.

What happens if they just click 'yes'?

 

[Joe4]

That link I provided does NOT have the exact that you need - it just shows you how the BeforeClose event works.
Your code would check the file path that they are trying to save to, and if it is the one you do not want them to save to, you would set "Cancel = True", which cancels the save attempt.

 

[jrisebo]

That link I provided does NOT have the exact that you need - it just shows you how the BeforeClose event works.
Your code would check the file path that they are trying to save to, and if it is the one you do not want them to save to, you would set "Cancel = True", which cancels the save attempt.

Ah, ok. Got it. Hopefully someone can help me with the code.

 

[Joe4]

Sorry, I thought when you mentioned that the project already had VBA code, that you might be able to write the code.
Here is some code. You would just need to change the value of "myDir".

Private Sub Workbook_BeforeSave(ByVal SaveAsUI As Boolean, Cancel As Boolean)

    Dim fname As String
    Dim myDir As String
    
'   Specify the folder path they CANNOT save to
    myDir = "C:\Temp\"
    
'   Get file save name
    fname = Application.GetSaveAsFilename
    
'   Check to see if they are trying to save to restricted directory
    If UCase(Left(fname, Len(myDir))) = UCase(myDir) Then
        Cancel = True
        MsgBox "You cannot save file to " & myDir & " directory.", vbOKOnly, "ERROR!"
    Else
        MsgBox "File Saved"
    End If
    
End Sub