Linked Files not updating in a linked document

Work around, possibly.

Using a copy of your main document, Ctrl+A followed by F9.

Thank you, Ctrl+A and F9 forced the update.

Any idea how to make it so I do not need to do that extra step? I will be sharing this file with colleagues and don't know that we would all remember to do that process...

Hello Kim,

Welcome to Microsoft Community and thank you for posting your query.

Let me assist you with Word issue.

If ‘update automatic links at open’ is checked, than links should update automatically.

Create a new Word document and check if it works as expected.

If new document works as expected, you may backup and repair the existing document using the following link and verify the status.

To open a specific document by using the Open and Repair feature in Word, follow these steps:

• Start Word.

• On the File menu, click Open.

• In the Open dialog box, click to select the file that you want to open.

  Click the down arrow on the Open button, and then click Open and Repair.

   

I hope the above information helps. Let us know if you need further assistance.

Thank you.

Thank you for your suggestion. Unfortunately, the original document does not update unless I use the extra step suggested by Charles above. The file will not update automatically.

I have tried the "Open and Repair" just in case, but this does not help.

Thank you, Ctrl+A and F9 forced the update.

Any idea how to make it so I do not need to do that extra step? I will be sharing this file with colleagues and don't know that we would all remember to do that process...

There is no good way. Here are some suggestions:

1. A borderless text-box floating over text. The text is the textbox is some font like Comic Sans 18pt Red formatted as hidden. The (hidden) text tells people to do this. It only works if hidden text is displayed by the user, though. The screenshot below shows such instructions in blue. Note the dotted underscore indicating hidden text.

2. An AutoOpen macro saved in the document (formatted as a .docm) that updates all fields or all link fields. This only works if macros are enabled for the document, which is unlikely in a corporate environment.

Note, I do not use linked files extensively, I just know that this updates fields. Because at one point in my career, I used ASK and FILL-IN fields extensively, I tend to turn auto updating when printing or opening  (it got annoying in saved documents to be reprompted to fill in information for the document).