Office Compatibility Issues

How to Fix Excel Object Error When Opening an Embedded Table in Word 2021

Anum Mushtaq Oct 19, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users are unable to open embedded Excel tables in Word 2021, receiving an error message regarding the program used to create the object.

How to Fix the Excel Object Error When Opening an Embedded Table in Word 2021

Product: Microsoft Word 2021
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Double-clicking an embedded Excel spreadsheet within a Word document to view or edit the table data.
Observed behavior: Word displays the error message, 'The program used to create this object is Excel,' and fails to open the embedded table, even after repairing or reinstalling Microsoft Office.

Before you start

Ensure both Microsoft Word and Excel are completely closed. Verify if your computer uses document management software like iManage Work, as outdated third-party add-ins are a primary cause of this OLE compatibility issue.

Solution 1Recommended

Update iManage Work to the Latest Version

Since this specific error is frequently caused by a compatibility conflict between Word 2021 and older versions of the iManage Work add-in, updating the client is the most effective fix.

In many organizational environments, document management plugins intervene with Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) operations. Upgrading iManage patches the communication gap between Word and Excel.

Close Office Applications

Save your current work and completely exit Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Outlook.

Open iManage Update Manager

Locate the iManage Update Manager from your Windows Start menu or system tray.

Install Available Updates

Check for updates and click 'Install' to upgrade your iManage Work client to the latest version.

Verify the Fix

Restart your computer, open the affected Word document, and double-click the embedded Excel table to confirm it opens without the error.

Update iManage Work to the Latest Version

IT Administrator Assistance Required: If you do not have administrative privileges to install software updates, contact your organization's IT support team to push the iManage Work update to your device.

Solution 2

Disable COM Add-ins Temporarily

If you cannot update your plugins immediately, temporarily disabling the conflicting COM Add-in will allow you to access the embedded Excel object.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word say 'The program used to create this object is Excel'?

This error happens when Word fails to communicate with Excel via Object Linking and Embedding (OLE). It is usually triggered by corrupted Windows registry keys, a damaged Office installation, or conflicting third-party document management add-ins like iManage Work.

Will reinstalling Microsoft Office fix this embedded table error?

Not necessarily. If the root cause is a third-party add-in (like iManage) causing the OLE conflict, repairing or completely reinstalling Microsoft Office 2021 will not resolve the issue until the conflicting software itself is updated or disabled.

How can I extract data from the embedded Excel table if it won't open?

As a workaround, you can try to right-click the embedded object, select 'Worksheet Object', and choose 'Convert' to see if it forces the object to render. Otherwise, request the sender to provide the standalone Excel file directly.

Does this issue only affect Microsoft Word 2021?

No, this embedded object error can occur across various versions of Microsoft Office, including Office 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365, whenever there is a misconfiguration in OLE registry settings or incompatible COM Add-ins.

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