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

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!

Way to help Microsoft, "someone else can help".  You get called out so we pass the buck.  This is an Office update issue, this is the Office 2016 forum and that is where the problem is.  I appreciate BenutzerserviceK's reply.  You know someone at Microsoft knows about the problem since the problem patch has been pulled from updates.  I just did a fresh install of Office 2016 on a computer and ran all of the updates...KB3213656 does not even show up now.  The people from Microsoft that are in the forums might want to pay attention to obviously know issues that have been identified with recent patches and not just tell users to post on a different forum.  I have also confirmed that uninstalling the patch fixes the problem.  Thanks again BenutzerserviceK!!

Answer 4

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!

Way to help Microsoft, "someone else can help".  You get called out so we pass the buck.  This is an Office update issue, this is the Office 2016 forum and that is where the problem is.  I appreciate BenutzerserviceK's reply.  You know someone at Microsoft knows about the problem since the problem patch has been pulled from updates.  I just did a fresh install of Office 2016 on a computer and ran all of the updates...KB3213656 does not even show up now.  The people from Microsoft that are in the forums might want to pay attention to obviously know issues that have been identified with recent patches and not just tell users to post on a different forum.  I have also confirmed that uninstalling the patch fixes the problem.  Thanks again BenutzerserviceK!!

This is completely unacceptable that Microsoft has not acknowledged this.  This caused some major issues in our office.  Luckily we were able to stumble across this and find out that the patch was was problem and could uninstall it from all our systems.  You pay for this product and expect to get support.  This has been very frustrating.  Thank you for the user that found this and posted this, no thanks to Microsoft.

Answer 5

We found today that Outlook is now having the same problem displaying tables embedded into an email body.  You would think that since word is the text editor that fixing word by removing the patch would have fixed it there.  Going to have to dig that side now as well.  Atleast users can email them at attachments to get around it. 

Any update from Microsoft?  I know someone there knows about the patch as it is no longer being pushed out as an update to new systems.  Have you also figured out the Outlook side and pulled a patch there as well.