# Is there a way to use a column in a calcluation, but hide that column from being accessed by other users?

**URL:** <https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-use-a-column-in-a-calcluation-but-hide-that-column-from-being-accessed-by-other-users/83785>\
**Category:** Ask for Help\
**Created:** [August 12, 2025, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-use-a-column-in-a-calcluation-but-hide-that-column-from-being-accessed-by-other-users/83785 "2025-08-12T15:30:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Data\_Analytics](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/data_analytics/32/87969_2.png) [@Data\_Analytics](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Data_Analytics)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-use-a-column-in-a-calcluation-but-hide-that-column-from-being-accessed-by-other-users/83785/1 "2025-08-12T15:30:56Z")

</div>

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/glideapps/original/3X/0/0/00c95021da101ed8e4abf2eee28c196b8a4b5501.png)

This is my example. I have Height\_Relation, which is used by Support\_Post\_Interval as a lookup value reference. I then use Support\_Post\_Interval in a Math formula in a different column (“plus 10” in example). I want to prevent other users from accessing the Support\_Post\_Interval column, but still be able to display the calculated column.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jeff\_Hager](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/jeff_hager/32/43_2.png) [@Jeff\_Hager](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Jeff_Hager)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:10pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-use-a-column-in-a-calcluation-but-hide-that-column-from-being-accessed-by-other-users/83785/2 "2025-08-12T16:10:28Z")

</div>

What do you mean by "access"m. Do you mean hide from view on the screen? How are you displaying it on the screen? You can add, remove, or modify any commitments in the screen any way you wish.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Data\_Analytics](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/data_analytics/32/87969_2.png) [@Data\_Analytics](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Data_Analytics)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-use-a-column-in-a-calcluation-but-hide-that-column-from-being-accessed-by-other-users/83785/3 "2025-08-12T16:30:57Z")

</div>

When watching one of the glide guide videos, I remember them saying “Filter is not a security measure. The users may not be able to see it, but the data is still downloaded onto their device.”

Based on this I assumed that it works the same way with these columns — just because I don’t display it on their screen, the data might still be downloaded onto their devices. I want to prevent this. I don’t want this “confidential” data to be downloaded by end users.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Darren\_Murphy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/darren_murphy/32/47326_2.png) [@Darren\_Murphy](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Darren_Murphy)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-use-a-column-in-a-calcluation-but-hide-that-column-from-being-accessed-by-other-users/83785/4 "2025-08-12T17:09:22Z")

</div>

Each of the columns shown in your screen shot is a computed column. Computed columns are evaluated locally on each users device. In order for those calculations to work, the source (non-computed) data that is referenced by those computed columns must be present on the users device.

The only way to get around that would be to store the data elsewhere, and use API calls to fetch the results.