Labsheets can be configured to prevent users from changing data directly in grid cells. This provides an additional control for teams that need to reduce unintended data changes, support data integrity requirements, or maintain a more controlled process for updating records.
When inline editing is disabled, users can still view the grid, but they cannot directly type, paste, or fill values into cells. Users who have permission to edit a row can still make changes directly in the labsheet, but other users will have to modify the row through the row's Details Page instead.
This creates a clear separation between viewing data in the grid and modifying data through an authorized record-level workflow.
Inline editing is separate from schema locking. Schema locking controls changes to the structure of a Labsheet, such as adding, renaming, or deleting columns. Inline editing controls how users can modify the values stored in those columns.
Why disable inline editing?
Disabling inline editing can be useful when your organization needs greater control over how data is changed.
For example, organizations may use this setting to:
Reduce accidental or unauthorized changes to data.
Require users to update records through a controlled form rather than directly in the grid.
Limit bulk changes made through copy, paste, or fill operations.
Establish a more deliberate record-update workflow.
Support internal data governance and change-control procedures.
Separate users who can view data from users who are authorized to modify it.
Disabling inline editing does not by itself make the data read-only. Users who have permission to edit a row can still edit the row directly, and other users can modify that row from its Details view.
Super Admin control
Turning inline editing off is a Super Admin setting for the Labsheet.
When inline editing is disabled, row-level permissions continue to determine who can modify individual records. A user who does not have permission to edit a row cannot update it through the labsheet view, but they can edit through the Details view.
This allows organizations to combine:
Labsheet-level controls for how data can be modified.
Row-level permissions for who is authorized to make changes.
Schema locking for protecting the structure of the data.
Turn off inline editing
Open Labsheet Settings. Open the Labsheet and select the Settings icon in the top-right corner.
Open General Settings. Select General Settings from the left panel.
Disable inline editing. Turn off inline editing for the Labsheet. The grid remains visible, but users can no longer type, paste, or fill values directly into cells.
Define exceptions, if required. You can allow specific teams or users to continue editing cells in the grid. Other users must update records through the Details view.
Save and apply the change. Select Save Changes, review the change summary, and select Apply Changes.
To restore direct cell editing, turn inline editing back on and then save and apply the change.
The setting applies consistently to:
The Labsheet itself
Saved views of the Labsheet
The Labsheet when embedded in a Labspace
There is no separate inline-editing control on the Labspace page.
Updating data when inline editing is disabled
When inline editing is disabled, authorized users can still update records through the Details view.
Open the row. Open the record's details to access the Details view throught the chevron on the left side of the row.
Review and edit permitted fields. Change the values that you are authorized to modify.
Use the appropriate field editor. Certain fields use controlled editors rather than free-form text. For example:
Location fields use the Edit action and location picker.
Lookup and link fields use their respective editors.
Calculated fields, including formula columns and quantity-left fields, remain read-only.
ID and created-date fields remain read-only.
Save the change. Select Update to save the changes to the same record.
Data-change controls
When inline editing is disabled, the following controls apply:
Action | Standard users | Allowed teams or users |
View the grid | Yes | Yes |
Type, paste, or fill a cell | No | Yes |
Bulk-edit values in the grid | Yes | Yes |
Update a record from Details | Yes | Yes |
Edit the Labsheet inside a Labspace | Same rules as the Labsheet | Same rules as the Labsheet |
Add, rename, or delete columns | Controlled separately through schema permissions/locking | Controlled separately through schema permissions/locking |
Compliance and data governance considerations
Disabling inline editing can be used as a preventive control within a broader data-governance or compliance program.
It helps restrict the ways in which authorized users can modify data, particularly by preventing direct cell-level changes.
However, disabling inline editing should not be treated as a complete compliance control on its own. Organizations should also consider their requirements for:
User and role-based access control
Authorization to modify individual records
Separation of duties
Change approval processes
Audit logging and change history
Data retention requirements
Monitoring and review of data changes
Protection of the underlying schema and formulas
The appropriate controls depend on the organization's regulatory and internal requirements.
Important distinction
Inline editing controls the method by which data can be changed; permissions control who can change it.
Turning off inline editing therefore does not prevent all data modifications. It changes the modification workflow so that users must use the controlled Details view unless they have been explicitly granted an exception for grid editing.