I'm making a sheet to keep track of our inventory. The columns go something like this...

size / Starting Ft / Ft consumed / total available / Loose Ft / Notes / Price per Ft / Price per in / Total inventory value

The size column is entered as factions, as we are trying to keep inventory of bars of metal. Typically stuff like 1/2" 3/8" etc...
The total available column subtracts "ft consumed" from "starting ft" and displays the result. I've got a little if/then statement proceeding the formula to keep it from showing a bunch of zeros until data is actually entered.
Loose ft are lengths of bar not part of a 12 ft long bar. I'd explain why, but it's not really relevant.
Notes is notes, nothing special there.
Price/ft is how we are priced from the suppliers. We usually quote parts in inches of material, thus the "price/in" column. It's a simple formula with the same if/then statement to keep stuff empty till the "price/ft" column is filled. Somewhat handy to have.
Total inventory value sums the "total available" and "loose ft" columns and multiplies them by the "price/ft" column. Should be handy come tax time.

This entire sheet is mirrored to a second sheet that is exactly the same, except the prices are left off. This way we can show customers or employees a printed sheet without them seeing the pricing at all.

The entire first sheet (the one without the prices columns) is locked. This is OK, as no modifications are ever done to that sheet.

The second sheet, however, is proving to be much more complicated. Occasionally, we get different sizes of material delivered. Our inventory sheet may start at 1/4" and continue on from there, but when we get a 1/8" bar I would like to be able to sort the sheet so that the smallest material is at the top. If I protect the columns that are nothing but formulas (the total available, price/in, total inventory cost columns) I can no longer sort anything. That would be fine were it just me modifying those sheets, but if I have to go restore a formula after someone deletes it again accidentally I may just blow a fuse!!

I've done some searching, but as far as I can tell it is not possible to sort a locked formula. I think that is incredibly stupid, as the formula is not modified but just relocated! Is what I am reading correct? Do I really need to invent some crazed macro to unprotect -> sort -> protect again? I've tried leaving the "sort" box checked in the protect sheet dialog, but if any columns in the table are protected it won't allow sorting at all.

I've got the entire thing formatted as a nice shiny table with headers that have pull downs to sort. I want to keep it that simple! Creating buttons and macros just seems like a PITA, especially since this document is opened on a bunch of different computers...

Does anyone have any advice or tips?

Thank you!