Allow users to select but not modify

When you protect a sheet, the top two options are to allow selecting Locked cells and Unlocked cells. By default both should be checked and users should be able to select all cells.

But if you select that the user can still modify the cell contents

Not if you have the cells' Locked property set.

If you simply change the permissions on the Excel file to read only, for those readers that should mot be able to modify cells but can copy them, you should be able to do what you want. They could in effect modify the cells but any changes would not be saved

If you simply change the permissions on the Excel file to read only, for those readers that should mot be able to modify cells but can copy them, you should be able to do what you want. They could in effect modify the cells but any changes would not be saved

Unless they used [F12] "Save As", closed MS-Excel, deleted the original file, & renamed the newly created copy *.

Setting folder permissions on a network drive is, perhaps, a suggestion, though.

* Unless you meant permissions on files within a folder, rather than simple file system attributes.

Yes - I assumed that the file was on a network share and that the file permissions within a folder were set to read only.

Using Save-As of course is always possible - however I also have to assume that we are dealing with an issue that they don't wish employees to change the values in the file.

We have a quick solution to employees who would purposely change files by trying to go around the security/ It's call a "Pink Slip"

...It's call a "Pink Slip"

We call it a petticoat in the UK ;)

Call it anything you want - But you don't want that kind of employee working for you.

We've use the KISS principle for many thing that would cost an arm and a leg to implement from an IT point of view. We tell the client - Send out a memo that needs to be signed by each employee stating that these are the rules.  If you don't abide by the rules, you will be subject to termination without any further warning.  

This works great in areas where people were spending almost as much time texting or connected to social media then they were actually working.

It was simple - turn off your smart phone when you come through the door and don't use the company PCs for getting your Facebook  fix for the day. Else you are gone!

...subject to termination without any further warning.

Instant death is extreme, but it would certainly resolve the issue.

Sorry, this seems to have slipped away.

What I wanted users to do is able to select and modify certain cells (so making the file read-only wont work), but be able to select and copy other cells without being able to modify them.

You never replied to my suggestions: lock the cells you want locked, then protect the sheet but allow selecting locked cells.