File Sharing Problems

How to Keep Embedded Files Accessible When Sharing an Excel Workbook

Guest Writer Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users need to ensure that PDF and Word documents embedded within an Excel workbook remain accessible to recipients when the workbook is shared.

How to Keep Embedded Files Accessible When Sharing an Excel Workbook

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Sharing an Excel workbook containing embedded local files with other users.
Observed behavior: The embedded documents open correctly on the creator's local machine but fail to open for recipients who receive the shared workbook or link.

Before you start

Ensure you have an active cloud storage account, such as OneDrive or Google Drive, where you can upload the embedded files to generate accessible sharing links.

Solution 1Recommended

Upload Embedded Files to Cloud Storage and Link Them

Replace locally embedded files with accessible cloud storage links so recipients can view the documents.

When files are embedded locally in an Excel workbook, they reference a path on your personal computer. To allow others to access these files, they must be hosted online and shared with appropriate permissions.

Upload source documents

Upload the source PDF or Word documents to a cloud storage service like OneDrive or Google Drive.

Generate sharing links

Right-click the uploaded file in your cloud drive and select 'Share' or 'Copy link' to generate a viewable sharing link.

Insert links in Excel

Open your Excel workbook, select the cell where you want to place the document reference, go to the 'Insert' tab, select 'Hyperlink', and paste the generated sharing link.

Share the workbook

Share the updated Excel workbook with your recipients, ensuring they have permission to access both the workbook and the individual cloud links.

Upload Embedded Files to Cloud Storage and Link Them

Check Permissions: Verify that the sharing links for the individual documents are set to allow access for your intended recipients, otherwise they will encounter an Access Denied error when clicking them.

Effortless File Sharing

Share Spreadsheets and Linked Files Easily with WPS Office

WPS Office provides built-in cloud storage (WPS Cloud), making it incredibly simple to upload, link, and share your spreadsheets and accompanying documents without encountering broken local file paths.

1. Upload documents to WPS Cloud: Open WPS Office and upload your supporting PDF or Word documents directly to your WPS Cloud drive.
2. Create document links: Right-click the uploaded document in WPS Cloud, click 'Share', and copy the viewable link.
3. Add links to your spreadsheet: In WPS Spreadsheets, select 'Insert' > 'Hyperlink' and paste the cloud link into the relevant cell.
4. Share the workbook: Click the 'Share' button in the top right corner of WPS Spreadsheets to generate a link and distribute the workbook safely to your team.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formats and features.Built-in WPS Cloud allows seamless file uploading and secure link generation.Lightweight software that handles complex workbooks efficiently.Free and easy-to-use alternative for all your document management needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do embedded files open on my computer but not for recipients?

When you embed a file locally via a standard file path, the spreadsheet looks for the file's exact location on your computer's hard drive. Recipients do not have access to your local drive, so the file cannot be found when they try to open it.

How do I fix the 'Access Denied' error when recipients click a OneDrive link in Excel?

This error occurs because the recipient's account does not have permission to view the linked file. You must adjust the sharing settings in OneDrive for that specific file to 'Anyone with the link can view' or explicitly add the recipient's email address to the allowed access list.

Can I embed a file directly into Excel without using cloud storage?

Yes, you can embed a file as an Object (Insert > Object > Create from File > check 'Display as icon'). This stores a copy of the actual file within the workbook itself rather than just linking it. However, this will significantly increase the file size of your Excel workbook.

Document & File Issues