data link cannot be created because Excel cannot be found

[mberns]

I'm using AutoCad 2013, with Excel 2013 on a 64-bit machine.  I've been able to datalink Excel files to previous drawings, but recently received this error in new drawings:  The data link cannot be created because Excel cannot be found.

Excel is open and running on the machine.

I've tried restarting AutoCad, Excel, and the machine, with no success.

I'd appreciate any suggestions, short of re-installing either MS Office or Autocad.

Thanks. 

[ampster401 · Accepted solution]

have you tried a Repair of either install?

[mberns]

I hadn't tried that.  But I have now repaired Office 365 and the data link is working again.

Many, many thanks for the solution!  That was far less painless than a full reinstall.

[jagadeeshkrishnan]

how to repair or either install??

[mberns]

You can go to Control panel/programs.  When you find the program (Microsoft office), right click on it for the shortcut menu.  From that menu choose change.  That will bring up another diaglog box that will ask if you want a quick repair or a full repair.  Select one of those and let it run.

Good luck!

[anthonyadams]

Repair Excel Installation does not work!! So, Autodesk, how do we fix a common and recurring problem?

[GabeH]

I am having the same problem. With all my AutoCAD installs. My coworker who is a Civil tech can create a link without any issues. I have "clean" uninstalled and reinstalled AutoCAD 2015, and my office products. I did have loads of Windows updates that I thought would fix my Office install if that was causing the issue. But after all of that it still is giving me the error. I have updated my AutoCAD and Windows temp disabled my security and still cannot create the datalink. I have tried to see if its a variable DATALINKNOTIFY (0,1,2) nothing.

 I did find a workaround. My senior tech said to open a excel spreadsheet and copy the contents to clipboard and paste special into AutoCAD. This works and when double clicking the table in AutoCAD it opens my excel spreadsheet. So why doesn't AutoCAD allow the launch of MS excel through the command?

Another workaround was to install the MS Access Database engine 2010 (32 or 64bit) before you reinstall your Office product.

(it didn't work for me but it worked for another coworker)

[mrbaze]

We're running Civil 3D 2016 and Microsoft Office 2013.

Both programs are 64 bit.

Both programs have been repaired.

Still not able to connect to excel. 

I know the other work arounds, however, I'd like data links to work.

The strange thing is if a datalink was already in the drawing, it works fine. Just can't establish new connections.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

[gideon]

I solve this problem . I am using autocad 2016 and at first installed microsoft office 2013. both of them are 64 bits and autocad said datalink cannot be created because excel cannot be found.

then, I uninstalled my 64 bit office and installed a microsoft office 2003 (32bit) and autocad is able to detect my excel and I was able to link excel spreadsheet to autocad.

I am sure autocad 2016 will at least support microsoft office from 2000 to 2007 because my work computer has microsoft office 2007 installed and able to be detected by autocad.

to solve the excel file extension problem after you installed your office 2003, you can also install 32 bit office 2013 so you do not need to worry about xls and xlsx problem if you do not have office 2007.

hope your problem will be solved.

[Alex.Bargmeyer]

I am having this problem now with all three installed versions of AutoCAD C3D (2016-2018).  I think it may be an issue with Office 365.  Anyone else having this issue?

[Alex.Bargmeyer]

I am running C3D 2016-2018 and am getting the same error.  I have tried all of the suggested solution (including ones suggested by the Autodesk support article, January 14, 2014) except modify my registry. any other suggestions?

[avarma]

Same here. Repaired office 365, but still same error. Has Autodesk come up with a solution?

[mberns]

Nope. Ended up going a different route. Copy the cells in Excel and use
PasteSpecial to insert. When using that, use the paste link button on the
bottom left, and then select the Microsoft Excel Worksheet.

When you update in excel, re-save and then it will update in autocad.

[kristiyan.metodiev]

Office repair worked for me. Thanks!

[itadmin]

My issue was left over registry entries from uninstalling O365 trial that shipped with the PC...

To remove the outdated references, you will need to edit the System Registry, as detailed below. Please proceed as follows:

1. Close Excel 

2. Click Start » Run, type REGEDIT and click OK.

{00020813-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} Key for Excel

1. Click on Computer at the top of the left-hand panel, then press Ctrl+F to bring up the search window. Paste this string, including the curly braces {...}, into the search window:
   {00020813-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
   Check (tick) the Keys box and Match whole string only; clear Values and Data.

2. Click the + sign at the left of {00020813-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} to expand it. You will see one or more subkeys:

   • 1.5 for Excel 2003.
   • 1.6 for Excel 2007.
   • 1.7 for Excel 2010.
   • 1.8 for Excel 2013.
   • 1.9 for Excel 2016.

   Identify the one(s) that do not match the version(s) of Excel you actually have installed. If all of them do match installed Excel versions, omit steps 5 and 6.

3. You are about to delete the key(s) that correspond to versions of Microsoft Excel that you do not have. For safety's sake, you may want to back them up first. Right-click on {00020813-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}, select Export, and save the file where you'll be able to find it.

4. Right-click the 1.something key that does not belong, select Delete, and confirm the deletion. Repeat for each 1.something key that does not belong.

5. The {00020813-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} key can occur in more places. Usually they all have the same subkeys, but not always, so you need to examine each instance. Tap the F3 key to get to each of the others in turn. For each one, repeat steps 4 through 6 (click the + sign, export the key to a new file, and delete the orphaned 1.something entries).

{2DF8D04C-5BFA-101B-BDE5-00AA0044DE52} Key for Office

1. Click on Computer at the top of the left-hand panel, then press Ctrl+F to bring up the search window. Paste this string, including the curly braces {...}, into the search window:
   {2DF8D04C-5BFA-101B-BDE5-00AA0044DE52}
   Check (tick) the Keys box and Match whole string only; clear Values and Data.

2. Click the + sign to expand the key. You will see one or more subkeys:

   • 2.3 for Office 2003.
   • 2.4 for Office 2007.
   • 2.5 for Office 2010.
   • 2.6 and 2.7 for Office 2013. (2.6 and 2.7 are okay for Office 2016 as well, if there is a reference to Office16 under 2.7.) 
   • 2.8 for Office 2016.

   Identify the one(s) that do not match the version(s) of Office you actually have installed. If all of them do match installed Office versions, omit steps 10 and 11.

3. You are about to delete the key(s) that correspond to versions of Microsoft Office that you do not have. For safety's sake, you may want to back them up first. Right-click on {2DF8D04C-5BFA-101B-BDE5-00AA0044DE52}, select Export, and save the file where you'll be able to find it. (Choose a different name for this file, such as Key2.)

4. Right-click the 2.something key that does not belong, select Delete, and confirm the deletion. Repeat for each 2.something key that does not belong.

5. The {2DF8D04C-5BFA-101B-BDE5-00AA0044DE52} key can occur in more places. Usually they all have the same subkeys, but not always, so you need to examine each instance. Tap the F3 key to get to each of the others in turn. For each one, repeat steps 9 through 11 (click the + sign, export the key to a new file, and delete the orphaned 2.something entries).

6. Close the Registry Editor.

Reboot, and it should work...

Ref to instructions: https://kb.palisade.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=528

[tnguyenoz]

Uninstall and then reinstall the Microsoft office then reboot, it worked for me.

[itadmin]

It was actually a leftover registry key from the trial version of office that came preinstalled.

[vvjadhav425VB]

Office repair worked for me. Thanks!