Learn how to hide confidential data in Excel. How to partially hide a social security number in Excel so that a masked SSN appears instead. Also see how you can do this with other sensitive data like a credit card number. We will use two different formulas that will work for this purpose so you can create a column with just the masked number and then you can delete the sensitive and confidential data out of your sheet or hide and protect it. How to mask SSN in Excel.

Please note that Microsoft Excel spreadsheets are inherently insecure and spreadsheets containing confidential/sensitive personally identifiable information (like Social Security Numbers and Credit Card Numbers) should never be accessed by unauthorized users. This video demonstrates two formulas you can use to create a column with a masked number. The sensitive data can then be deleted from your sheet. We review how you can hide and protect your sheet, however this is not a fully secure way to protect the data. Even protected sheets should not be shared with unauthorized users. Please consult with your IT or cybersecurity team to ensure you are in compliance with the security policies and practices at your organization.