Cell Locking

While working on a sheet and putting in numbers and formulas in cells, I am not sure about how to lock a cell....I want to be able to enter numbers around a cell, but have the cell in the middle be protected as I work around it, just in case I make an entry into it. So, how do I protect a cell in the sheet while working with it?
I can't see how I can protect the cell without protecting the sheet.
Thanks.

Good afternoon,

You can set the properties of the whole sheet to "unlocked" and set your one cell to "locked." When you protect the sheet set the preferences so that you can select unlocked cells.

Hope this helps,

Thanks for the reply.....so, are you saying that I just can't work on a sheet that is unprotected and lock a cell , but have to protect the sheet before the locking works?
Look forward to hearing from you again.
I thought that one could simply be able to lock a cell without having to protect the sheet .

Hello again,

You can work in the sheet with it protected. When you protect the sheet, Excel brings up a list of what you can limit. Make sure that you can select/edit unlocked cells and you will be able to alter them freely with the sheet locked. In order for any safeguards to be activated the sheet has to be locked down (as far as I'm aware).

Bgoree09, I have it figured out....thank you for your help.