Password Protecting Documents When should you protect a document? A general guideline for ensuring HIPAA compliance is to password-protect any sort of document that contains Protected Health Information, or PHI. PHI includes information such as an individual's name, Social Security number, telephone number, medical record number, address, including ZIP Code, as well as medical records.

Protecting a Microsoft® Office® 2010 document To password protect an Office document, worksheet, or presentation: 1. Open the document and click the File Tab.2. Click the Protect Document button and then select Encrypt with Password.

3. In the Encrypt with Password dialog box, type a password, and then click OK. Youcan type up to 255 characters.

Important! It is critical that you remember this password. If you forget it, Microsoft® or Zywave cannot retrieve it. Store the passwords that you write down in a secure place away from the information that they help protect.

4. In the Confirm Password dialog box, type the password again, and then click OK.5. To save the password, save the file.

Protecting a Microsoft® Office® 2007 document To password protect an Office document, worksheet, or presentation: 1. Open the document and click the Microsoft Office Button.6. Click Prepare, and then Encrypt Document.

7. In the Encrypt Document dialog box, type a password, and then click OK. You cantype up to 255 characters.

8. In the Confirm Password dialog box, type the password again, and then click OK.9. To save the password, save the file.

Protecting Microsoft® Office 2003 documents

Microsoft® Word 1. Open the document and click File > Save As > Tools > Security Options.10. In the Password to open field, type a password.11. Click OK, then Save.

Microsoft® Excel® 1. Open the workbook and click File > Save As > Tools > General Options.2. In the Password to open field, type a password.3. Click OK and confirm the password.4. Click OK, then Save.

Can I protect other types of files? You can also password protect other file types from Windows® Explorer. To password protect a document in Windows® XP: 1. Locate and highlight the file you wish to password protect. 2. Right-click the file and select Send To > Compressed (zipped) Folder.

3. The new folder takes the name of the file you selected (you can rename it if you

prefer), followed by a .zip extension, and should appear in the same location. 4. Double-click the new compressed folder. 5. Go to File > Add a Password. 6. Type a new password and confirm it. 7. Click OK. Users who try to open this file will be prompted to enter this password

before they can open the file.

What makes a good password? Here's some sound advice from Microsoft®: Use strong passwords that combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Weak passwords don't mix these elements. Strong password: Y6dh!et5. Weak password: House27. Passwords should be 8 or more characters in length. A pass phrase that uses 14 or more characters is better.