Keep Word Formatting When Linking an Excel Cell in WPS Writer
Question details
The user needs a linked Excel cell pasted into a Word text box to preserve the formatting applied in WPS Writer, including newly added characters when the source value changes.
- Product
- WPS Office Writer and Spreadsheets
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user inserts a linked Excel cell into a Word text box so it can be moved freely around the page and then applies formatting in the Word document.
- Observed behavior
- The linked text inherits Excel source formatting, or only the original characters keep the Word formatting; newly added characters revert to the source formatting.
Open the document in WPS Writer and identify the linked field that displays the Excel cell value. If the field code is not visible, be ready to toggle field codes so you can edit the LINK field safely.
Use a CHARFORMAT field switch in WPS Writer
Use this when the linked Excel cell text changes length after pasting and you want all characters, including new ones, to follow the formatting set in the WPS Writer document.
In WPS Writer, a LINK field can include the \* CHARFORMAT switch. This switch makes the displayed field result use the formatting applied to the field code instead of the source Excel cell formatting.
Click the linked Excel cell content or its text box in your WPS Writer document to select the field that contains the link.
Right-click the field and choose Edit Field, or press Alt+F9 to toggle field codes, then locate the LINK field for the Excel cell.
Type \* CHARFORMAT at the end of the field code, before the closing field brace, and apply the desired font, size, color, or other formatting to the field.
Press F9 or right-click the field and choose Update Field, then change the source Excel value to confirm that new characters also retain the WPS Writer formatting.
Keep Linked Excel Cell Formatting Stable in WPS Writer
Use WPS Writer's field-code support to add the CHARFORMAT switch to a linked spreadsheet cell, so the displayed value follows the formatting in your document instead of the source Excel cell.
- 1. Open the document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office, open the target Word document in WPS Writer, and confirm the linked Excel file is accessible.
- 2. Select the linked field: Click the linked Excel cell content inside the text box, then right-click and choose Edit Field to open the field settings.
- 3. Add the CHARFORMAT switch: Add \* CHARFORMAT to the field code, apply the formatting you want to the field, and close the field editor.
- 4. Update and verify: Press F9 or choose Update Field to refresh the link, then change the source Excel value to confirm all characters keep the Word formatting.
- 5. Save the document: Save the file in WPS Writer as a .docx document to retain the field switch and formatting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does formatting apply only to the original characters when the Excel cell text becomes longer?
The link is displaying the Excel source formatting. When you add the \* CHARFORMAT switch to the LINK field in WPS Writer, the field result uses the formatting applied to the field itself, so new characters also keep the Word formatting.
How do I show field codes in WPS Writer?
Select the linked content and press Alt+F9 to toggle field codes, or right-click the field and choose Edit Field to see the LINK field structure.
Can I keep the linked cell movable around the page?
Yes. Keep the linked field inside a text box or frame. The CHARFORMAT switch controls the text formatting while the text box still lets you move the linked value freely.
Will this formatting switch survive when I open the document in Microsoft Word?
WPS Writer saves .docx field codes that Microsoft Word recognizes, but field behavior can vary between versions. Test the target Word environment after saving and updating the field.
What if the linked text still shows Excel formatting after updating the field?
Open the field code again and check that \* CHARFORMAT is placed correctly inside the LINK field. Apply the desired formatting directly to the field, then press F9 to update it.
