If a user cannot edit their status on a project sheet due to it being read-only, what might be the issue?

The correct answer highlights a scenario in which the ownership and permissions associated with a project sheet are critical for editing capabilities. If the previous owner of a project sheet has been deleted from the system and their items were not properly transferred to another user, it can lead to the sheet becoming read-only for all users. This is because, without an active owner associated with the sheet, the access rights associated with that user are lost, preventing any changes, including status updates, from being made.

In the context of project management tools like Smartsheet, ownership is key to managing permissions effectively. If there is no designated owner, the system may restrict any editing actions to maintain integrity and security of the data.

While other choices imply different issues relating to user permissions or procedural errors, none address the situation of ownership loss as directly as this option. Hence, understanding the importance of user ownership and its connection to edit permissions is crucial for effective project management in Smartsheet.