How can I move linked Word/Excel files without breaking the links under Windows 7?

Question

I currently operate under Windows XP and have multiple links between my Word and Excel files. I have to upgrade to Windows 7. When the .doc and .xls files are converted to .docm and .xlsm, respectively, the links no longer work. The Word document is still attempting to point back to the old .xls file rather than the new file.

Also, creating new links between Word and Excel within Office 2010 doesn't seem to work. I create the new link, switch it from "Auto" to "Manual" and everything works fine. But when I copy the files to another folder, the Word document is still trying to link to the file in the previous folder rather than the new folder. This always worked in Windows XP.

I've been using linked Word/Excel documents for 10+ years and have never really had a problem. I'm very careful to maintain Word and Excel filenames when moving the files to a new folder. The process has always been to 1.) move the files, 2.) update the links, 3.) rename the files, and 4.) update the links again.

It's my understanding that under Windows XP, links between Word and Excel are relative. But under Windows 7 (and Office 2010?), those same links become fixed.

Answer 1

You can press Alt-F9 in Word. This will show full link path. Do a global replacement of old path with a new path. Pay attention to how path name is formed and use \ as a path delimiter. Press Alt-F9 again to revert back to regular view. After that select everything with Ctrl-A and press F9 to update all the links.

Answer 2

There is a tool that can help: http://www.datamystic.com/excelpipe

One of its features: Migration of documents when a server is renamed or replaced and all Excel spreadsheet links need updating. I used it when i was migrating loads of files.

Answer 3

Excel link pathways do not actually store all the path information. This is done specifically to aid moving linked files, by leaving some of the information relative to the file's current location.

If you store all your linked files in the same folder and upload the entire batch of files to a completely different drive, but all in a folder with the same exact name as the original folder, the links will hold.

Similarly, if you built the links from the destination Workbook to source workbooks in different sub folders under the same parent folder containing the destination Workbook, you simply have to

A. rebuild the exact same parent and subfolders on the new drive;

B. place your source files in the subfolders with the same names as the sub folders you originally placed them in when they were built;

C. place the destination Workbook in the new drive folder with the exact same name as the original parent folder, and then

D. when you open the destination Workbook all links will be preserved and will update.

This is the method with the least chance of going wrong, and which requires no manual link updating. But the price is that destination and source files must all be in the same parent folder and sub folders named exactly as you used when you created them.

Answer 4

You can try to use change source button from External links menu.

• Open the old file
• Save as .xlsx (potentially in a different folder)
• If the destination file is open at that time, then the links are adjusted to the new file
• If the destination file is closed, then open » edit links » change source pointing to the new one » update values.

No need to switch auto update to manual after all.