Introduction
Frequently, we receive Word documents (.doc and .docx formats) as emails via Outlook. However, when we try to make changes to these documents, we encounter an issue with broken links. This article will cover how to resolve this problem.
Understanding the Issue
When we receive a Word document via email in Outlook, any links contained within the document may not function properly due to the email's attachment conversion process. These broken links can cause issues when we try to edit or collaborate on the document.
Resolving Broken Links
Option 1: Opening the Document in Word
The easiest way to resolve broken links in a Word document received via Outlook is to open the document directly in Microsoft Word. Word will automatically update any broken links with the current online versions.
Sub OpenDocumentInWord()
Dim objWordApp As Object
Dim objDoc As Object
Set objWordApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
objWordApp.Visible = True
Set objDoc = objWordApp.Documents.Open("path\to\document.docx")
End Sub
If you receive the document as an email attachment, save it to a local directory before opening it in Word.
Option 2: Repairing the Document
Another way to resolve broken links is to repair the document using the Microsoft Office Document Information Panel. This feature is available in Office 2010 and later.
- Open the Word document in Word.
- Click the File tab, then click Info.
- Under the Properties section, click the Check for Issues dropdown list and select Check Document.
- Follow the prompts to repair any issues, including broken links.
Option 3: Converting the Document to PDF
If the document contains a large number of broken links or if you don't need to make changes to the document, you can convert it to a PDF file. This will prevent any issues with broken links.
- Open the Word document in Word.
- Click the File tab, then click Save As.
- Select PDF as the file format.
- Save the document as a PDF file.
References
For further reading, refer to the following resources: