Skip to main content
Documentation
Documentation
Adaptive Planning
Last Updated: 2025-11-14
Steps: Link OfficeConnect Information in Word Narratives

Steps: Link OfficeConnect Information in Word Narratives

Link
OfficeConnect
 Values in a Paragraph

In addition to linking full tables or other sets of multiple cells from Excel to Word, you can link individual values and phrases within your narrative.
Example: You can link report dates and specific dollar values in selected sentences or paragraphs.
You can even link and update words that correspond with your numbers.
Example: Link increased and decreased, or favorable or unfavorable.
When you update your report for the next period, not only are the table values refreshed, but also the individual dates, values, and key words. You must have the dates, values, and key words already set up as named ranges in the
OfficeConnect
 for Excel workbook.

Before You Begin

  • Read through your report in Word and determine the dates and numbers you want to link to data in your
    OfficeConnect
     for Excel workbook.
  • Make sure you have named ranges in Excel for those dates and numbers. If necessary, go back to your Excel workbook and create them, and then save the file.
  • In your Word file, in the
    OfficeConnect
    pane, select the
    Workbook Links
    tab. Right-click the Excel filename, and select
    Refresh
    Source
    . Any newly created named ranges appear on the tab. Now you're ready to start linking values in your narrative.

Link Values in a Narrative Paragraph

  1. In your
    OfficeConnect
     for Word document, select the values you want to link with
    OfficeConnect
     data. You can select just a few words or multiple paragraphs. Select a few words on either side of the value you want to link, so you can see the context later.
  2. Right-click the selected text and from the context menu, select
    View Paragraph Links
    . Or, on the
    OfficeConnect
    tab, in the
    Connection
    group, select
    Paragraph Links
    . The Paragraph Links dialog box appears. Any values included in the selected text are listed separately in the Value column, while the text surrounding the value appears in the Value Context column.
  3. In the
    OfficeConnect
     links pane, select
    Workbook
    Links
    . Find the named range you want to link to the value in the selected text showing in the Paragraph Links dialog box.
  4. Drag the named range to the heading of the row showing the value and associated text you want to link. The current value of the named range replaces the value in the selected text.
  5. To link additional values in the Paragraph Links dialog box, repeat the steps for those values. As you drag the named ranges, the values change in the Paragraph Links dialog box and in your selected text in the document. If your selected text contains multiple values (dates, currency, or other numbers), the Paragraph Links dialog box shows a separate row for each value. You do not have to link every value shown. Just apply links where you want them.
  6. Select
    OK
    . The selected values are now linked with the selected named ranges from your
    OfficeConnect
     for Excel workbook. Whenever the values in the Excel workbook change and you refresh the Word document, the linked values update.

Link OfficeConnect Words in a Paragraph

You can link and update qualitative words that help describe or interpret your numeric performance and that can change across reporting periods as do the numbers themselves.
Example: Link positive, negative, increase, and decline.
To return a qualitative word value of something like increase or decrease, set up a logical test formula in your linked
OfficeConnect
 for Excel workbook. The following is an example of such a formula:
Remember to save the cell containing the logical test formula as a named range so you can link to it in your
OfficeConnect
 for Word document.
To link words or phrases:
  1. Replace the words you want to change with a temporary placeholder number.
    OfficeConnect
     treats the word or phrase as a value.
  2. Link a named range word from your
    OfficeConnect
     for Excel workbook that's associated with numeric performance.
To link words that reflect numeric performance in a narrative:
  1. In your
    OfficeConnect
     for Word document, replace the words you want to change to an
    OfficeConnect
     link with any number of your choice, such as 111 or 1234. The number is a temporary placeholder that the linked text will replace.
    Use a number you can recognize as the placeholder when you see it listed in the Paragraph Links dialog box.
  2. Select the text you want to link, including a few words on either side of your placeholder values so you can see the context later when you're linking.
    Select just a few words or multiple paragraphs. OfficeConnect identifies any values in the selected area, including your placeholder values.
  3. Right-click the selected text and from the context menu, select
    View Paragraph Links
    .
    The Paragraph Links dialog box shows a row for any values in the selected text, including your placeholder values.
  4. From
    Workbook Links
    , select the named range that represents the word or phrase you want. Drag it to the heading of the row showing the placeholder value and associated text to be linked.
    The current word or phrase for the named range replaces the placeholder value in the selected text.
  5. Select
    OK
    . The words or phrases you specified for linking are updated in your document.