Word not displaying table data with merged cells after updates

Question

Windows 10, Office 2016 Pro Plus both fully patched.  Have a word document that includes multiple tables, in each table there are merged cells.  If the cell is merged you can't click on the cell or see the data in the cell.  If you copy the table out of word and paste it into excel the data shows.  If you un-merge the cells and paste it back into word it shows all of the data.  I tried this on a system that is not patched and the merged tables display properly in word.  Why would an Office update break pasting merged cells into a word document?  Any advise on this will be greatly appreciated, this is impacting over 4600 documents at this time and I am sure we will be finding many more.  Here is a screen shot of a sample table and what word is doing with it.  You can't click in the blank cells once it is in word.  Thanks all

Answer 1

I did the patches that were released and it fixed the problem.  Make sure that you have the patches that are identified above uninstalled, after you run your updates.  If you can't uninstall or run the updates just show your IT folks this page and it will help them fix it.

Answer 2

This is most probably the same issue as described in https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_word-mso_win10-mso_2016/issue-merging-word-tables-after-applying-kb3213656/aeae7b7f-3db8-467d-80db-da8d02a8140e .

This time the patch introducing the issue can be uninstalled without security concerns.

But I'm seriously concerned that the next patch containing also security updates for Word 2016 WILL reintroduce the issue if Microsoft does not investigate and fix it in time.

So please keep us updated!

The problem should also be described as a known issue in https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3213656/august-8-2017-update-for-word-2016-kb3213656.

Probably the patch should even be revoked as text in the vertically merged cells becomes invisible and uneditable!

Answer 3

That is great but Microsoft is still pushing KB-4011039, just downloaded it again and broke my install AGAIN!  You would think that Windows would be smart enough to see that I have uninstalled that update multiple times and stop pulling it down.  It was nice when the KB-3213656 was pulled from the update catalog and prevented the reinstalling of the problem.  I have been checking multiple times this morning and don't see any new updates yet...only the one that breaks it again so far.

Answer 4

I'm having the same issues.  It was resolved for a day or so, then when our IT department pushed out updates the issue is back.  It's super frustrating.

Answer 5

Your IT people are probably behind on rolling out updates.  Get them to fit it.