I'm importing data from Excel table into Word 2013.
Option 1. I select a range of cells, paste in Word as an Linking Excel Sheet. The link in the field (after Alt + F9) looks like this:
{ LINK Excel.Sheet.12 "C:\\Users\\User\\Desktop\\Exps\\excel2word\\tmp.xlsx" "Sheet1!R1C1:R5C7" \a \p }
Plus: changes in the data are displayed in Word (after "Update Link").
Minus: when inserting a row, the Excel table spreads the formulas to the cells of the new row, but the row does not appear in Word. Similarly, when deleting a line.
Option 2. I assign a name to a range of cells, select it, paste it into Word as an Linking Excel Sheet. The link in the field (after Alt + F9) looks like this:
{ LINK Excel.Sheet.12 "C:\\Users\\User\\Desktop\\Exps\\excel2word\\tmp.xlsx" "Sheet1!NamedRange" \a \p }
Plus: data changes are displayed in Word ("Refresh Link").
Plus: when inserting a row, the Excel table spreads the formulas to the cells of the new row; in Word, the row appears. Similarly, when deleting a line.
Minus: it is required to name ranges additionally.
Maybe the name of a Excel table is equivalent to the names of named ranges? In any case, it is displayed along with them in the Name Manager.
It is logical to use ready-made names (Excel table), rather than creating new names for the same ranges.
From here Option 3. I correct the link from the named range to the Name of the Excel table, plus I tried all sorts of different options. Minus: it does not work.
I used the following docs:
a) Using structured references with Excel tables
b) Insert, edit, and view fields in Word
c) Setting up links between a Word document and an Excel spreadsheet
In the last doc, it seems to be stated that they can do it, but really there is nothing.
Question: Can I use the link to the Excel table and/or to its fragments - Headers, Data, Columns, Rows, Totals?
If so, how?
PS If this is not possible, then I will have to write code, but I would like to get by with formulas.
The answer is that it's not possible to use Excel Table names in Word's Link field. Word works only with SheetName!A1:A1 or Name Range range specifications.
I can't answer as to "why" or whether it will be supported in the future. I can speculate that the reason might be because Tables are a comparatively new feature in Excel that did not exist when the Link field was introduced. There may be other reasons - only the devs at Microsoft could say for sure.
If you look closely at the Name Manager in Excel you'll see that a different identifying symbol is at the left of Table entries than at the left of Range Name entries. The Table ranges cannot be altered within the Name Manager. So while Tables are listed here, they aren't managed in this interface and are definitely other "entities".