EXCEL RESTRICT ACCESS

Question

Hi,

I'm intend to restrict excel document from users to edit, copy and print it. Try to click on PROTECT WORKBOOK > RESTRICT ACCESS > CONNECT TO RIGHT MANAGEMENT SERVERS AND GET TEMPLATES. But nothing happens or pop out, it is not respond at all.

Currently, I'm using Office 365 E3 plan. May I know how to fix this? 

Thanks,

Tom

PII is masked by MSFT

Answer 1

Hi Tom,

Glad to hear IRM in turn on your side in SharePoint online document library and thanks for sharing updates with us.

Regarding to your question*” How do i setting policy for example to restrict user to edit, print and save as the particular document”.*

In Excel 365 app, under Protect Document, there is an option to Restrict Accessand there you can give permission to specific people (via email addresses) the permission to just read(not edit, print, or copy) content. Click More Option for additional restrict permission e.g. user does not print content. 

**Note:**you need to insert user email address one by one in a specific workbook via this way.

If you want to restrict more and one user or in bulk, you can use IRM in SharePoint online.

Go to the list or library for which you want to configure IRM> On the ribbon, click the Librarytab, and then click Library Settings> Under Permissions and Management, click Information Rights Management> On the Information Rights Management Settingspage>Add a permission policy description box> click Show Options.

For you reference: Apply Information Rights Management (IRM) to a list or library.

Best Regards,

Waqas Muhammad

Answer 2

Hi Tom,

Thanks for posting the query here in the community. I apologize for all the inconvenience.

We tested at our side in all Office channels i.e. Semi-Annual Targeted, Semi-Annual, Monthly and Monthly Targeted channel with the Office account where IRM is enabled at the tenant level. Testing in the Office application with account where IRM is enabled will allow us to use the Restrict Access feature normally. We encountered the similar behavior as yours at our end when we tested with the account where IRM is not enabled. Refer to this article: Protection and security in Excel (Restrict Access).

See the screenshot below of our test with Office account enabled with IRM at tenant level: 

So, we request you to check whether IRM is enabled at your tenant. You can refer to this article: Set up Information Rights Management (IRM) in SharePoint admin center.

If it is not enabled, please enable and check the outcome. (Note: It may take couple hours to be activated)

If it's enabled and still can't use this feature, please provide the screenshot of your Office Account page. (open any Office application> Account) 

Note: Please mask the email address and tenant name to protect your privacy.

We greatly appreciate your time and understanding.

Best Regards,

Waqas Muhammad

Answer 3

Hi Tom,

May I know if you have some updated information? Feel free to post back if you need further assistance.

Best Regards,

Waqas Muhammad

Answer 4

Hi Waqas,

Despite already turned on IRM but the problem still persists.

Answer 5

Hi Tom,

We appreciate that you spent your precious time doing those tests and shared the test results with us. I do understand the inconvenience it has made and apologize for it. And we’re still glad to help you.

To move further, we want to confirm did you enable IRM on site/library level.  You can refer to this article: Apply Information Rights Management (IRM) to a list or library. If it is not enabled, please enable and check the outcome.

Also, please confirm does restrict access with IRM is also in other documents or only specific documents. Also please try to check with your colleague have similar issue.

Meanwhile, could you please provide the screenshot of your Office 365 Account page. (open any Office application>File> Account) 

We appreciate your understanding and patience.

Best Regards,

Waqas Muhammad