Microsoft KB Archive/109182

Knowledge Base

Formatting Changes Not Updated in Linked Worksheet

Article ID: 109182

Article Last Modified on 8/15/2005

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q109182

SYMPTOMS

If you link a worksheet from Microsoft Excel to Microsoft Word, formatting changes made in Microsoft Excel are not reflected in the linked table.

CAUSE

This behavior is by design; it allows you to update the linked information without losing the formatting you've applied in Microsoft Word.

WORKAROUND

To reflect formatting changes made to the worksheet in Microsoft Excel in the linked table in Microsoft Word, do the following:

1. In Microsoft Word, select the linked worksheet.

2. Press SHIFT+F9 to display the linked worksheet as a field code. The field code appears as follows

         {LINK Excel.Sheet.5 "Book1" "Sheet1!R1C1:R3C1" \a \r \* MERGEFORMAT}

   where Book1 is the name of the workbook, and Sheet1 is the name of the worksheet that is linked.
   
   NOTE: The information in the field code above will be different if the link is to a Microsoft Excel version 3.0, 4.0, or 4.0a worksheet; however, the following steps still apply.

3. Delete the \* MERGEFORMAT switch from the field code so it appears as follows:

         {LINK Excel.Sheet.5 "Book1" "Sheet1!R1C1:R3C1" \a \r}

4. With your cursor in the field code, press F9 to update the link, and press SHIFT+F9 to display the linked data.

The formatting of the field is now updated to the format of the worksheet in Microsoft Excel. However, any formatting you apply to the linked table in Microsoft Word is lost when you update the link.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. In a new worksheet, enter the following data:
   

A1: apple
A2: banana
A3: orange

1. In Microsoft Excel version 5.0, select cell A2, and choose Cells from the Format menu. Select the Font tab, and from the Font Style list, select Bold. Choose OK.
   

In Microsoft Excel version 3.0, 4.0, or 4.0a, select cell A2, and choose Font from the Format menu. From the Font Style list (Style list in version 3.0), select Bold and choose OK.

1. Select the range A1:A3 and choose Copy from the Edit menu.
2. Run Microsoft Word and choose Paste Special from the Edit menu.
3. From the As list (the Data Type list in version 2.0), select Formatted Text (RTF). Select the Paste Link option, and choose OK.
   

The cells appear formatted as they were in Microsoft Excel.

1. Switch to Microsoft Excel.
2. Select cell A2, choose Delete from the Edit menu. Under Delete, select the Shift Cells Up option and choose OK.
3. Switch back to Microsoft Word.

The third row in the table is empty, and orange appears in the second row as it should. However, orange appears with bold formatting instead of roman the way it is formatted in Microsoft Excel.

Additional query words: 4.00a

Keywords: KB109182

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