Don't Update Links to Other Programs

You know that Excel allows you to create links to data in other workbooks. Excel also allows you to link to non-Excel data from other programs, as well. For instance, you could link to pictures or to Word data or to data in any number of other programs. The linking is done via OLE and DDE, as is discussed in other issues of ExcelTips.

Normally, data from other programs is updated whenever you open an workbook, and thereafter whenever the source data changes. If you want to tell Excel to not update linked data from other programs, follow these steps if you are using a version of Excel prior to Excel 2007:

1. Choose Options from the Tools menu. Excel displays the Options dialog box.
2. Make sure the Calculation tab is displayed. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Clear the Update Remote References check box.
4. Click OK.

If you are using Excel 2007, follow these steps instead:

1. Click the Office button and then click Excel Options. Excel displays the Excel Options dialog box.
2. At the left side of the dialog box click Advanced.
3. Scroll through the available options until you see the When Calculating This Workbook section. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. Clear the Update Links to Other Documents check box.
5. Click OK.

Changing this setting is only effective for the current session in Excel. The next time you open the workbook, Excel reverts to updating links automatically. If you want to turn off specific links so that they are not continually updated, choose Edit | Links, locate the link, and change its update method to Manual.