Linking Excel to Word - my excel link source name keeps changing for no reason

Question

Hello, 

I am very much hoping someone on here has an answer to my question, because I have been trying to figure this out for the past week. 

I have been trying to link an excel document to my word: 

1. I copy my excel table
2. In word i then "Paste link: Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object"

I do this 3x with 3 different tables. 

At this point everything looks fine, the links are working properly. I save the word document in the same folder as the excel. 

HOWEVER, when I re-open the word document it tells me: "Objects in this document contain links to files that cannot be found. The linked information will not be updated" even though I did not change the location of my source document... 

Only one of my tables has a working link, the two other links have broken. I have realized that this is due to the fact that my "Item in File" has moved and added itself to the source file, changing the name of the source. In short, my "item in file" has disappeared and source name has changed, out of nowhere. Only one of my tables has maintained the correct source file name and item in file, even table was pasted in the same way. 

Please see the picture below for a screenshot:

In addition, when I want to re-open the excel document it says that it is locked for editing by Myself...???

Thanks a lot in advance to anyone who may give me a bit of insight as to why this is happening !

Kind regards.

Answer 1

Hi Phili.

Thanks for posting here and we will try our best to help you.

According to your description, we did a test from our side, and when we re-open the document, we got the following message:

When we click Yes, the table updated normally.

In your situation, we searched a lot, and we found a related thread on the Office TechNet forum, you can follow the last reply which posted by shchronix to modify your registry:

Please click Windows button in the lower-left corner>type registry>go to 

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT>.xlsx>Double click on (Default) > change value "xlsx_auto_file" to "Excel.Sheet.12

If you are using Excel workbook included Macros, please go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT>.xlsm.

Note **:**Please click File>Export to back up your registry setting first.

Related thread: Links between Word and Excel do not work if the source file is not opened

Please have a try and share the result with us,

Best Regards

Higgins

Answer 2

Hi Phili.

Please leave a reply if you need more help.

Best Regards

Higgins

Answer 3

Hi Higgins, 

Thanks a lot for your help.

Unfortunately I don't have access to my registry so I can't see if your solution works! I will contact my IT to see if they can help me gain access. 

Kind regards,

Philippine

Answer 4

Hi Phili.

Please post back when you have time if you get any updates.

Anyway, we will continue to help you.

Best Regards

Higgins