Cannot link from Excel to Word using named ranges

[trishash]

After installing SP3 for Office 2003, our users can no longer paste named
ranges from Excel into a Word doc. The range is selected and named in Excel,
then copied. I switch to a Word doc and choose Paste Special, then "paste
link" as Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet Object. When I select OK, an error
appears --"Word cannot obtain the data for the Excel.Sheet.8 link."

If the range that I need copied in Excel is not named, then when cells are
added or deleted the entire contents that should be linked in Word will not
be correct.

For instance, if the range A1:B7 is named "fruit" and pasted into Word using
"Paste Special", when 2 additional columns are added, a named range will keep
the info in A1 through the info that was originally entered in B7 (which is
now B9) linked into Word.

If the range is not named but is only copied and pasted into Word using
"Paste Special", 2 additional columns are added, I will only get what is in
A1 through B7 (currently) linked into the Word document.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[trishash]

I found an article while searching Microsoft today that references this
problem, but I've not made any progress toward a solution using this
information. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/938815

 

[Sean]

I had the same problem with Office 2003 (ever since SP3) and got around it by
editing the field afterwards, which was a very tedious and unacceptable
workaround. I recently upgraded to Office 2007, hoping that linking named
ranges would work properly - IT DOES NOT WORK! if the range is named and you
Paste-Special\ Link \Excel Object - it only inserts the RC reference and not
the range-name. Moving to 2007 is painful enough without finding out it has
been crippled the same way as 2003!

Does anyone know how to fix this?

I couldn't make head or tale of the MS article (but then I'm no techie) -
does it have anything to do with this problem?

Sean