3rd party apps cannot import data from Excel (MicroStation & Autodesk ACAD)

Question

At my job we often structure & update data in Excel and then import it to construction drawings via MicroStation or ACAD. After a recent series of Security updates for Microsoft Office 2016, this feature now throws an error. In troubleshooting: we tried importing several different .xlsx files, used different .dgn files, tried two different .dgn apps, and tried with 4 different computers (one of which was a virtual desktop with different licensing). Since the problem originated 2 days ago, we found that our computers installed this series of MS Office updates 2 days ago:

Here is the error code we are getting in MicroStation.

Windows 11 Version 23H2 (OS Build 22631. 6783)

Answer 1

Hi, Carson Fair

This looks less like a bad Excel file and more like the recent Office security update changed how the Excel automation piece is loading.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

First, check the Excel automation/add-in entry in the registry. In Regedit, find the add-in’s ProgID from Excel > File > Options > Add-ins, then go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT<ProgID>\CLSID and HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT<CLSID>\InprocServer32. If the default value is just mscoree.dll, change it to C:\Windows\System32\mscoree.dll, then close Excel and test the import again.

If that still fails, it is recommended that IT test one affected PC by rolling back only the most recent Office update/build and retesting, just to confirm the update is really the trigger before changing every machine. It is also recommended to check that Office and the CAD import component are the same bitness, 32-bit with 32-bit or 64-bit with 64-bit, because that mismatch can break Excel-based imports.

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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Answer 2

The behavior is consistent with third‑party applications or add‑ins that rely on Office components being affected by recent Office security changes.

From the available information, the supported remediation for similar issues where third‑party tools can no longer access Excel data after Office updates is to repair the Office installation so that the affected Office components and permissions are restored.

Actionable steps:

1. Run an Online Repair of Office on one affected machine and test again:
   • Open Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
   • Select Microsoft Office 2016 → Modify.
   • Choose Online Repair and complete the process.
   • Restart the device and test the Excel import from MicroStation/AutoCAD again.
2. If the issue is resolved, repeat the Online Repair on the remaining affected machines.

If the problem persists after Online Repair, contact the vendors of MicroStation and AutoCAD, as their integrations may need to be updated to comply with the newer Office security behavior.

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References:

• Error message when starting a Microsoft Office third-party add-in that relies on .NET binaries