Word not displaying table data with merged cells after updates

Anonymous
2017-08-16T20:19:24+00:00

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

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-10-12T12:46:12+00:00

    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.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-08-23T13:59:23+00:00

    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!

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-08-28T16:36:25+00:00

    This is ridiculous.  I can't believe this, but what can you expect.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-09-07T11:02:42+00:00

    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!!

    I am seeing this issue on machines which don't have KB3213656 installed. Has that KB been incorporated into another?

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-09-07T11:07:54+00:00

    We have the same issue with merged cells. We have Windows 10 Pro and Office 2016 standard. Updates are installed through windows update automatically, but i can not find this KB3213656 in "View installed updates" window so i can not uninstall it.  But when i try to install it manually i get "this update is already installed" message.

    So for now the only thing that worked for me was to uninstall Office completely, reinstall it and block updates... When windows update searches and finds office updates, there is no KB3213656.

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