How to Preserve External Excel Links in WPS Office When Sharing Files
Question details
The user needs to share Excel workbooks that contain external links without breaking those references when recipients open the files on another device.
- Product
- WPS Office Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user is sending linked Excel workbooks to clients or colleagues and wants the external formulas to keep working after transfer.
- Observed behavior
- External links break when only one workbook is sent or when linked files are moved to different folders.
Before sharing, open the destination workbook and identify all source workbooks that its external formulas reference. Move all related files into one folder, or make sure the cloud folder structure is already in place, so the links can resolve for recipients.
Keep All Linked Workbooks in One Folder and Share the Folder
Use this method when sending linked workbooks to clients or colleagues, because it preserves the relative file paths that external formulas depend on.
Excel external links store the location of the source workbook. If the destination workbook is sent alone, the recipient's application looks for a source path that does not exist on their device and the link breaks.
Open WPS Office Excel and save the destination workbook and every source workbook into the same folder, such as Project_Data.
Right-click the folder in File Explorer, choose Compress to ZIP file or Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder, then attach the ZIP file to your email.
Upload the folder to OneDrive, SharePoint, or WPS Cloud, right-click the uploaded folder, select Share, enter the recipients' email addresses, and send the sharing link.
Tell recipients to extract the ZIP into one folder or sync the shared cloud folder, then open the destination workbook only after all linked files are in the same folder.
Warn recipients that moving an individual workbook out of the folder can break the external reference paths.
Combine Linked Data into a Single Workbook to Remove External Links
Use this method when the linked workbooks do not need to remain separate, or when you want a single file that is easier to share.
Keep External Excel Links Intact in WPS Office When Sharing Files
Use WPS Office to keep all linked workbooks in one shared folder or cloud location, or combine sheets into one workbook so external references do not break when you send files.
- 1. Save all linked files into one project folder: Open your workbooks in WPS Office and save the destination workbook and all source workbooks into the same local folder.
- 2. Choose a sharing method: Compress the folder to a ZIP file in File Explorer, or upload it to OneDrive, SharePoint, or WPS Cloud and share the folder link.
- 3. Verify links before sending: In WPS Office Excel, open the destination workbook and refresh or check external references on the Data tab to confirm they point to files inside the same folder.
- 4. Ask recipients to keep the folder structure: Tell recipients to extract or sync the entire folder before opening any workbook and not to move individual linked files afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Excel external links break when I send only one workbook?
External formulas store the file path of the source workbook. If the recipient does not have the source workbook in the same path, WPS Office or Excel cannot refresh the link. Send all linked workbooks in one folder.
Does zipping linked Excel files keep external links working?
Zipping keeps the folder contents together, but recipients must extract all files into one folder before opening the destination workbook. Moving individual files after extraction can still break links.
Can I use OneDrive, SharePoint, or WPS Cloud to preserve external links?
Yes. Save all linked workbooks in the same cloud folder, share the folder with recipient email addresses, and keep the folder structure unchanged. The links can resolve from the shared location.
How do I remove external links before sharing an Excel file?
Open the workbook in WPS Office Excel, click the Data tab, open Edit Links, update formulas to internal sheets, and then choose Break Links if no external references are needed.
Can WPS Office open Microsoft Excel workbooks with external links?
Yes. WPS Office supports .xlsx workbooks, external formulas, and link management tools, so you can open, edit, and share Excel files with external references.
