We can't update some of the links in your workbook right now

Question

I am using Microsoft Office 365 with Windows 10 and Excel.

On PC ONE, I have workbook A saved as an .xlsx file in Microsoft Excel.

In workbook A I have many VLOOKUP functions linked to four .xlsx workbooks B, C, D, and E.

When I start workbook A, I get the standard message, ‘This workbook contains links to one or more external sources that could be unsafe.’

I click the Update button and all four workbook-links update properly.

I copy all the Excel files to PC TWO.

I edit the links, change the source for all four files in the box that shows all the connection to workbook A.

I click ‘update values’, and all source file status change to OK.

I click ‘Open Source’ for each one, and the correct file is loaded, so workbook A knows where the linked .xlsx files are.

The problem is when I close the edit box, I receive the massage, ‘We can't update some of the links in your workbook right now.’

I get this message even though all the links look to be updating the data properly.

I get this message even though I changed the ‘Startup Prompt” to ‘Don’t display the alert and update links’, as well as the excel option ‘Ask to update automatic links’.

Why am I getting this message?

How can I find the links the message refers to?

If I’m getting the message by mistake, how can I stop getting it?

Answer 1

Hi,

I'm Sneha and I'd be happy to help you out with your question. Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

The message "We can't update some of the links in your workbook right now" typically indicates that Excel is having trouble updating links to external data sources. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as missing or incorrect file paths, file access restrictions, or issues with the data source itself.

To find the links that the message is referring to, you can try the following steps:

1. Go to the "Data" tab in Excel and click "Edit Links" in the "Connections" group.
2. In the "Edit Links" dialog box, you should see a list of all the links in your workbook, including the file name, location, and status of each link. Look for any links that have a status of "Error" or "Unknown" – these are the links that Excel is having trouble updating.
3. If you find any problematic links, you can try clicking the "Check Status" button to get more information about the issue. You can also try clicking "Open Source" to see if you can manually update the link.

To stop getting the "We can't update some of the links in your workbook right now" message, you can try the following steps:

1. Make sure that all of your external data sources are accessible and up-to-date. Check that the file paths are correct and that the files are not read-only or locked by another user.
2. Try updating the links manually by going to the "Data" tab and clicking "Refresh All" in the "Connections" group.
3. If you're still getting the message, you can try disabling automatic link updates by going to the "File" tab, clicking "Options", and going to the "Advanced" section. Under the "General" heading, uncheck the box for "Ask to update automatic links". You can also try changing the "Startup Prompt" to "Don't display the alert and update links" as you've already done.

If you have any other questions or need assistance with anything, please don't hesitate to let me know. It will be my pleasure to Assist you.

Best Regards, Sneha

Answer 2

I have already done all that you suggested, including changing the ‘Startup Prompt’ to the third option, ‘Don’t display the alert and update links’, as well as the excel option ‘Ask to update automatic links’. I still receive the massage, ‘We can't update some of the links in your workbook right now.’

Answer 3

Hi,

If you have already tried all the suggestions I provided and are still receiving the message "We can't update some of the links in your workbook right now", there are a few additional troubleshooting steps you can try:

Check if there are any cells in your workbook that reference the external data sources directly, rather than through a formula or a named range. These cells may be causing the issue. You can try searching for cells that contain the file path or name of the external data source and remove or replace them.

Try copying the external data source files to a different folder on your computer, and then update the links in your workbook to point to the new location. This can help ensure that the file paths are correct and that Excel can access the files.

If you're still having issues, you can try using the "Edit Links" dialog box to break the links to the external data sources, and then recreate them. To do this, go to the "Data" tab, click "Edit Links" in the "Connections" group, select the link you want to break, and click "Break Link". Then, go back to your workbook and create a new link to the external data source using the "Data" tab and the appropriate function (e.g. VLOOKUP).

If you have any other questions or need assistance with anything, please don't hesitate to let me know. It will be my pleasure to Assist you.

Best Regards, Sneha

Answer 4

Hello, I am Leonielhou, an Independent Advisor and a user like you, I am happy to help clarify any questions you may have.

Kindly try to Save workbook A and workbook B as .xlsb files.

Also check this thread:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/30882190/why-cant-excel-update-some-of-the-links-in-my-workbook

Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it. The webpage is also in English, so you may need to use translation software to read the content.