Changing Document Links

You already know that Word allows you to establish links between your document and other objects, such as graphics, spreadsheets, and other items. There may come a time when you wish to change the links. For instance, you may have an Excel workbook you start over every year. However, the data within the workbook is in the same relative location as the previous year. To update your document for the new year, you can easily change the links established between your document and the worksheet. You do this in the following manner if you are using a version of Word prior to Word 2007:

1. Choose Links from the Edit menu. Word displays the Links dialog box.
2. Select the link you want to change.
3. Click on Change Source. Word displays the Change Source dialog box. This dialog box is very similar to a standard Open dialog box in Word.
4. Use the controls in the dialog box to select the new source for the link.
5. Click on Open. The Change Source dialog box disappears and the Links dialog box reappears.
6. Make any additional link changes necessary by repeating steps 2 through 5.
7. Click on OK.

If you are using Word 2007 then the steps are different:

1. Click the Office button and then click Prepare.
2. Click Edit Links to Files. (If this option is not available, it means that Word doesn't think there are any links in the current document.) Word displays the Links dialog box.
3. Select the link you want to change.
4. Click on Change Source. Word displays the Change Source dialog box. This dialog box is very similar to a standard Open dialog box in Word.
5. Use the controls in the dialog box to select the new source for the link.
6. Click on Open. The Change Source dialog box disappears and the Links dialog box reappears.
7. Make any additional link changes necessary by repeating steps 3 through 6.
8. Click on OK.