Linked-To Excel "locked for editing"

A new client hired us to help them. They have an Excel file, Common Data.xlsx, which is linked to by hundreds of Word documents. It's not shared, it's not in Sharepoint, it's just sitting in a network drive. They insist it's not posible to share it or put it in Sharepoint, a claim I'm not convinced of but am tolerating momentarily.

The problem they experience is typified by this scenario: a user opens a document with dozens of links to the Excel. The document contains a ToC (table of contents). The user clicks the ToC and Word spins its wheels for a few minutes, but the links are locked. Eventually, though the user has not opened Excel, an Excel window opens automatically with a message stating the current user has the Excel locked for editing. Only after clicking through this message once for every link in the file does Word jump to the page selected in the ToC.

I have limited experience working with Excel in this capacity. I've spent a few hours researching the error, sharing an Excel, linking to an Excel, etc., and I have come up empty. I've replicated this scenario with a simple Excel and Word document and it works without a hitch, so I'm inclined to think the way they're using the data file has harmed it in some way.

I apologize if this is the wrong forum in which to post this issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
rhunter1517

Aardigspook:

Thank you very much for your reply. There are a few of these items I will have to coordinate with the client on before I can try them. I am trying the others. As you said, the problem is inconsistent,
so I won't know for certain whether my modifications succeeded or not until some time passes.

I will keep this thread updated as new information arises.

Thanks again,
rhunter1517