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Prerequisites

Before configuring read-only columns, ensure you have:
  • A working sheet configuration YAML file
  • Access to the project’s sheet configuration in Administration > Nextedy POWERSHEET
  • Familiarity with the column properties available in Powersheet

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Step 1: Set isReadOnly on a Column

Add isReadOnly: true to any column definition in your sheet configuration to disable editing for that column: 
columns:
  outlineNumber:
    title: "#"
    width: 80
    isReadOnly: true

  systemRequirements.systemRequirement.id:
    title: "Req ID"
    width: 120
    isReadOnly: true
The isReadOnly property accepts a boolean value and defaults to false. When set to true, cells in that column cannot be modified regardless of user permissions or formatter rules.
PropertyTypeDefaultDescription
isReadOnlybooleanfalsePrevents user editing of this column
The isReadOnly value on a column can be overwritten by the user’s permission level or the global configuration of the document. If a user has read-only access to the entire document, all columns become read-only regardless of individual column settings.

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Step 2: Add Visual Feedback with a Read-Only Formatter

Setting isReadOnly: true prevents editing but does not change the column’s appearance. To add a visual cue so users can immediately see which columns are non-editable, combine the property with a formatter: 
formatters:
  readOnlyFormat:
    - expression: "true"
      style: readOnlyStyle

styles:
  readOnlyStyle:
    backgroundColor: grey100

columns:
  outlineNumber:
    title: "#"
    width: 80
    isReadOnly: true
    formatter: readOnlyFormat
This approach provides both functional protection (the cell cannot be edited) and a visual indicator (the grey background signals read-only status to users).
Define a single readOnlyFormat formatter and reference it across all read-only columns. This keeps your configuration DRY and ensures a uniform appearance throughout the sheet.

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Step 3: Use Conditional Read-Only with Formatters

For columns that should be read-only only under certain conditions, use a formatter with a conditional expression instead of a static isReadOnly flag: 
formatters:
  lockedWhenApproved:
    - expression: "context.item.Status === 'Approved'"
      style: readOnlyStyle

styles:
  readOnlyStyle:
    backgroundColor: grey100

columns:
  title:
    title: "Title"
    width: 300
    formatter: lockedWhenApproved
In this example, the title column becomes visually styled as read-only when the work item’s Status is Approved. The formatter expression has access to the context object, which provides:
  • context.item — the current entity (row data)
  • context.value — the current cell value
  • context.document — the document data
Conditional formatter expressions apply visual styling. To fully enforce editing restrictions based on status, combine formatters with domain model constraints or document-level permissions.

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How Read-Only Resolution Works

Powersheet evaluates multiple conditions to determine whether a column is editable. A column becomes read-only if any of these conditions are true: diagram
  1. Configuration flag — isReadOnly: true is set on the column in the sheet configuration YAML
  2. Historical revision — The user is viewing a past revision of the document (all columns automatically become read-only)
  3. User permission — The document access control grants the user only viewer (not editor) access
Certain columns such as outlineNumber are inherently managed by Polarion and should always have isReadOnly: true. Workflow properties and server-rendered calculated fields are also automatically read-only regardless of configuration.

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Complete Configuration Example

Here is a full sheet configuration excerpt showing multiple read-only patterns in a requirements traceability context: 
formatters:
  readOnlyFormat:
    - expression: "true"
      style: readOnlyStyle
  lockedOnApproval:
    - expression: "context.item.Status === 'Approved'"
      style: readOnlyStyle

styles:
  readOnlyStyle:
    backgroundColor: grey100

columns:
  outlineNumber:
    title: "#"
    width: 80
    isReadOnly: true
    formatter: readOnlyFormat

  id:
    title: "ID"
    width: 100
    isReadOnly: true
    formatter: readOnlyFormat
    hasUrl: true

  title:
    title: "Title"
    width: 300
    hasFocus: true
    formatter: lockedOnApproval

  systemRequirements.systemRequirement.id:
    title: "Sys Req ID"
    width: 120
    isReadOnly: true
    formatter: readOnlyFormat

  systemRequirements.systemRequirement.title:
    title: "Sys Req Title"
    width: 250
In this example:
  • outlineNumber and id are always read-only with grey background styling
  • title becomes visually styled when the item status is Approved
  • The expanded systemRequirement.id column is read-only since IDs should not be user-editable
  • systemRequirement.title remains editable (no isReadOnly flag)

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Property-Level Permissions in the Domain Model

You can also control editability at the domain model level using the readable and updatable properties on entity type definitions: 
domainModelTypes:
  UserNeed:
    properties:
      id:
        readable: true
        updatable: false
      title:
        readable: true
        updatable: true
PropertyDefaultDescription
readabletrueControls whether the property is visible to users
updatabletrueControls whether the property can be modified by users
When updatable is false, the column becomes read-only for that property regardless of the sheet configuration isReadOnly setting.
Use isReadOnly in the sheet configuration for UI-level protection and updatable: false in the domain model for server-level enforcement. This ensures data integrity even if a configuration is accidentally changed.

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Verification

After saving your sheet configuration changes, reload the Powersheet document in Polarion:
  1. Open the sheet and click on a cell in the read-only column — you should see that the cell does not enter edit mode and the selection marquee shows a read-only indicator
  2. If you applied a formatter, verify the grey background (or your custom style) appears on the read-only cells
  3. Try pasting into a read-only column — the paste operation should be blocked
  4. Confirm that editable columns next to the read-only ones still accept input normally
You should now see that the configured columns are protected from editing, with visual styling distinguishing them from editable columns.

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See Also