When I link an excel table in word I am losing the number formats --
espcially if negatives are parenthses instead of -. Can anyone help>

Hi frustratedalien,

What sort of linmking are you using? The formatting loss suggests a mailmerge, rather than file linking per se.

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]


"frustratedalien" <frustratedalien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B6F2F338-8A14-45A9-BA38-E5449FB3B47E@microsoft.com...
> When I link an excel table in word I am losing the number formats --
> espcially if negatives are parenthses instead of -. Can anyone help>

NO...Direct linking. If you format the numbers in Excel as "Accounting" for
instance then link a table in word with those values two things happen:
first the $ and the number wrap in the cell as the total length exceeds the
cell width space and second, the space for a parenthsis after a positive
number is lost so that the decimals do not align between positive numbers and
negative numbers indicated by (). The first can be "sort of" dealt with.
The second is a different story. So far the only work out I have found is to
create a custom format where the positive value is #,##.##} and the negative
is (#,##.##) then, in word, search and replace } with } setting color to
background so it does not show....a terrible fix.

"macropod" wrote:

> Hi frustratedalien,
>
> What sort of linmking are you using? The formatting loss suggests a mailmerge, rather than file linking per se.
>
> --
> Cheers
> macropod
> [Microsoft MVP - Word]
>
>
> "frustratedalien" <frustratedalien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:B6F2F338-8A14-45A9-BA38-E5449FB3B47E@microsoft.com...
> > When I link an excel table in word I am losing the number formats --
> > espcially if negatives are parenthses instead of -. Can anyone help>
>
>

Hi frustratedalien,

What link format are you using? I've only been able to replicate the wrapping issue with the RTF format and that can be overcome by
increasing the Excel column width. The spacing issue can be overcome by using either of the unformatted text paste options and, of
course, pasting the linked object in the Excel worksheet format resolves both issues.

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]


"frustratedalien" <frustratedalien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FA2F3086-D07E-4477-A161-B4BA775A2279@microsoft.com...
> NO...Direct linking. If you format the numbers in Excel as "Accounting" for
> instance then link a table in word with those values two things happen:
> first the $ and the number wrap in the cell as the total length exceeds the
> cell width space and second, the space for a parenthsis after a positive
> number is lost so that the decimals do not align between positive numbers and
> negative numbers indicated by (). The first can be "sort of" dealt with.
> The second is a different story. So far the only work out I have found is to
> create a custom format where the positive value is #,##.##} and the negative
> is (#,##.##) then, in word, search and replace } with } setting color to
> background so it does not show....a terrible fix.
>
> "macropod" wrote:
>
>> Hi frustratedalien,
>>
>> What sort of linmking are you using? The formatting loss suggests a mailmerge, rather than file linking per se.
>>
>> --
>> Cheers
>> macropod
>> [Microsoft MVP - Word]
>>
>>
>> "frustratedalien" <frustratedalien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:B6F2F338-8A14-45A9-BA38-E5449FB3B47E@microsoft.com...
>> > When I link an excel table in word I am losing the number formats --
>> > espcially if negatives are parenthses instead of -. Can anyone help>
>>
>>

Here is a VERY simple example for you....
1. Create an excel sheet with two numbers (one positive and one negative),
in Col A, Rows 1 and 2.
2. Format the two cells (A1:A2) as "Number" with two decimals and negative
numbers as (1234.10)
3. Select the range A1:A2 and copy
4. Paste into a blank word document as Link to Excel (keep
formatting)...resulting in something like this being the link...

{ LINK Excel.Sheet.8 "Book1" "Sheet1!R1C1:R2C1" \a \f 4 \h }

5. Notice that the decimals do not line up in Word. The space on end
(right side) of the positive number that should cause the two to align
allowing for the ) has been lost.




"macropod" wrote:

> Hi frustratedalien,
>
> What link format are you using? I've only been able to replicate the wrapping issue with the RTF format and that can be overcome by
> increasing the Excel column width. The spacing issue can be overcome by using either of the unformatted text paste options and, of
> course, pasting the linked object in the Excel worksheet format resolves both issues.
>
> --
> Cheers
> macropod
> [Microsoft MVP - Word]
>
>
> "frustratedalien" <frustratedalien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:FA2F3086-D07E-4477-A161-B4BA775A2279@microsoft.com...
> > NO...Direct linking. If you format the numbers in Excel as "Accounting" for
> > instance then link a table in word with those values two things happen:
> > first the $ and the number wrap in the cell as the total length exceeds the
> > cell width space and second, the space for a parenthsis after a positive
> > number is lost so that the decimals do not align between positive numbers and
> > negative numbers indicated by (). The first can be "sort of" dealt with.
> > The second is a different story. So far the only work out I have found is to
> > create a custom format where the positive value is #,##.##} and the negative
> > is (#,##.##) then, in word, search and replace } with } setting color to
> > background so it does not show....a terrible fix.
> >
> > "macropod" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi frustratedalien,
> >>
> >> What sort of linmking are you using? The formatting loss suggests a mailmerge, rather than file linking per se.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Cheers
> >> macropod
> >> [Microsoft MVP - Word]
> >>
> >>
> >> "frustratedalien" <frustratedalien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:B6F2F338-8A14-45A9-BA38-E5449FB3B47E@microsoft.com...
> >> > When I link an excel table in word I am losing the number formats --
> >> > espcially if negatives are parenthses instead of -. Can anyone help>
> >>
> >>
>
>

Hi frustratedalien,

Your field code shows you've inserted the link in HTML format. As I said in my previous post, you can overcome the wrapping issue by
increasing the Excel column width and the spacing issue can be overcome by using either of the unformatted text paste options.
Pasting the linked object in the Excel worksheet format resolves both issues.

--
Cheers
macropod
[Microsoft MVP - Word]


"frustratedalien" <frustratedalien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4D62A1B9-0621-4D09-91C8-C881DA08F836@microsoft.com...
> Here is a VERY simple example for you....
> 1. Create an excel sheet with two numbers (one positive and one negative),
> in Col A, Rows 1 and 2.
> 2. Format the two cells (A1:A2) as "Number" with two decimals and negative
> numbers as (1234.10)
> 3. Select the range A1:A2 and copy
> 4. Paste into a blank word document as Link to Excel (keep
> formatting)...resulting in something like this being the link...
>
> { LINK Excel.Sheet.8 "Book1" "Sheet1!R1C1:R2C1" \a \f 4 \h }
>
> 5. Notice that the decimals do not line up in Word. The space on end
> (right side) of the positive number that should cause the two to align
> allowing for the ) has been lost.
>
>
>
>
> "macropod" wrote:
>
>> Hi frustratedalien,
>>
>> What link format are you using? I've only been able to replicate the wrapping issue with the RTF format and that can be overcome
>> by
>> increasing the Excel column width. The spacing issue can be overcome by using either of the unformatted text paste options and,
>> of
>> course, pasting the linked object in the Excel worksheet format resolves both issues.
>>
>> --
>> Cheers
>> macropod
>> [Microsoft MVP - Word]
>>
>>
>> "frustratedalien" <frustratedalien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:FA2F3086-D07E-4477-A161-B4BA775A2279@microsoft.com...
>> > NO...Direct linking. If you format the numbers in Excel as "Accounting" for
>> > instance then link a table in word with those values two things happen:
>> > first the $ and the number wrap in the cell as the total length exceeds the
>> > cell width space and second, the space for a parenthsis after a positive
>> > number is lost so that the decimals do not align between positive numbers and
>> > negative numbers indicated by (). The first can be "sort of" dealt with.
>> > The second is a different story. So far the only work out I have found is to
>> > create a custom format where the positive value is #,##.##} and the negative
>> > is (#,##.##) then, in word, search and replace } with } setting color to
>> > background so it does not show....a terrible fix.
>> >
>> > "macropod" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hi frustratedalien,
>> >>
>> >> What sort of linmking are you using? The formatting loss suggests a mailmerge, rather than file linking per se.
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Cheers
>> >> macropod
>> >> [Microsoft MVP - Word]
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "frustratedalien" <frustratedalien@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:B6F2F338-8A14-45A9-BA38-E5449FB3B47E@microsoft.com...
>> >> > When I link an excel table in word I am losing the number formats --
>> >> > espcially if negatives are parenthses instead of -. Can anyone help>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>