Linked Table does not hold position on page after update

[phook01]

Hello,

This issue has me stumped, so here I am to ask for your generous help.

I am working in Word 2013. I paste a linked table from Excel, where the range is a named range instead of a specific row and column address. The table in Excel can change in the number of rows (I'll get back to why I mention this in a second).

When the table is in Word, it is wide enough that it goes off the right side of the page unless I move it all the way to the left. It holds the formatting once I move it. However, when I update the link, the table jumps back to its original place.

I've been able to get it to stick where I placed it by selecting "Preserve Formatting After Update," but then the formatting is wrong once the Excel table changes in the number of rows.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I'd be happy to attach examples if that would help clarify my question.

Thanks,
Patrick

[macropod]

If you insert a Word table into the document with a fixed row height & column width (turn off auto-resizing, too), and put the linked object into that, refreshing the link should result in the linked object remaining within the table.

[phook01]

Paul,

Thanks for responding.

I tried pasting into the word table, and the contents of the entire excel table occupy one cell of the word table. I tried pasting a link as unformatted text, formatted text (RTF), unformatted Unicode text.

Assuming there is a way to transfer the information correctly into the word table, what then happens when the excel table increases in the number of rows?

Patrick

[macropod]

The approach I posted assumed you were inserting the Excel content as an Excel object, not as unformatted text, formatted text (RTF), or unformatted Unicode text. Those methods are not amenable to scaling, since their appearance in the document is governed by the Styles of the paragraphs into which they are inserted.

[phook01]

Paul,

Thanks for responding.

In order to clarify, I have attached an example word doc and excel workbook. You might have to change the link paths to reestablish them, but I imagine you know a lot more about that than I do!

In the example word doc, I have pasted the Excel table using a named range. I tried pasting it as a linked microsoft excel object, a linked HTML format, and as a Microsoft Excel Object into an existing word table, which is how I (incorrectly?) interpreted your instructions.

In the actual word doc, I am using the HTML format, since the microsoft excel object does not correctly display the formatting from Excel (you can see this with column widths, font, font size, and borders).

If I update the link on the HTML format table, then the table jumps to the left margin, which knocks the right side of the table off the page. If I click in the table and then on the button that appears at the top left corner, I can move the table to the left of the margin. However, when I update the table again, the table jumps back to the left margin. If I select "preserve formatting after update," then the table holds its position after update. However, when I then unhide rows 5 and 6 in excel, the updated table displays incorrect formatting. One could argue that the formatting is actually correct, since I chose to preserve formatting, so I guess I should say undesirable, since the bottom border is repeated.

I hope this helps to clarify my issue.

Thanks again,
Patrick

TableExample.docx ExcelExample.xlsx

[macropod]

The Word table into which you post the linked Excel object should have a single cell the size you want the linked table to be, not a cell for each item.

[phook01]

It was staring me in the face the whole time! Thanks for breaking this down for me. It worked exactly as you described.