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Is there a way to password protect multiple excel files or just files in general for that matter?

Need a utility or script to password protect 300 excel files which are located in 300 separate folders on a network drive.
The reason being if someone accidentally emails any of these files they would be protected.

We do have email encryption already, but this would be for the case when a file is accidentally thought to be non-sensitive and emailed in the clear, but actually it is sensitive.
This way we have peace of mind that those files are protected.

Someone can sit and do all 300 using Excel, but I was thinking somebody out there had to make a utility by now for this... like Folder Guard (which didn't work).
The protection has to stay with the file and the files are stored on a Microsoft 2012 server.

Thanks!
M.

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Dean Chafee

You could use a combination of ForFiles and 7zip (or equivalent) to compress each file and set a password. This would protect the files, but they would be .7z or .zip or whatever compress you choose to use. it would look something like this:

forfiles /s /p <root path> /m *.xlsx /c "cmd /c 7z a -sdel -p <password> @fname.zip @path"

Problem is that each file would have to be uncompressed (with the password) in order to open it again on the local network. That may or may not work for you.

Regards

Bharat Bhushan

Same password for all files?

diablo-26

ASKER

Yes we're thinking same password for all files, and people do work with these files and upload them to a web portal after quality checking, so probably the Excel password would be best. I know this might be weak protection, but it's really just to protect them from the average person if one should accidentally get emailed out of the office. It's just so someone can't just open them freely.

I did find a program called AxCrypt, but it's $75.00 per user per year and we have about 10 people here working with this stuff.

So I think I'll try the script route.

Thanks for all the help!