PresLink for Microsoft Word® -- Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Overview: What is PresLink for Word - Technical Requirements
Installation / Activation: How to Get PresLink for Word - How to Activate PresLink for Word
Getting Started: Best Way to Get Started - Help
General: Sending Documents to Someone Without PresLink - How PresLink Updates Linked Data - Linking Multiple Excel Files
PresLink Tools: Font Color - Import as Worksheet - Size Changes on Update - Saving Document - Menu Missing
Error Messages: Excel Closed - Range Cannot be Found - Too Large - Unable to Load DLL - Multiple Instances
Coporate Client Issues: Use Firm's Standard Fonts and Colors
Temporarily Disabling PresLink: How to Temporarily Disable PresLink
Uninstallation: How to Uninstall PresLink for Word
Index of Resources: List of Resources
What is PresLink for Word?
PresLink for Word is document workflow and content management software for creating and updating data-intensive Microsoft Word documents. PresLink provides a seamless bridge between Word and Excel that streamlines the process of importing, updating and checking charts, tables and numerical text. It is ideal for quantitative documents of all types, such as presentations, proposals, business plans, research reports, audit notes, and financial summaries. PresLink is used firm-wide at major investment banks and other professional services firms.
PresLink runs within Microsoft Word and appears on Word’s main menu toolbar. Each PresLink tool is available from the ‘PresLinkàTools’ menu.
Click here for more detailed information on PresLink’s features.
What are the Technical Requirements for PresLink for Word?
Machine
• IBM-compatible PC, 266 MHz or higher with a Pentium II or higher CPU
• 64 MB RAM recommended minimum. More RAM generally improves performance
• 40 MB available hard disk space (includes 14 MB of optional help files and 10 MB of temporary installation files
• Internet connectivity
Software
• PC: Windows NT 4.0 SP 3+ or Windows 98, 2000, or XP; Macintosh: Virtual Windows
• Microsoft Office 97 or higher
• Internet Explorer 5 or higher
Installation / Activation
How do I get PresLink?
Click here to download a copy of PresLink.
Then simply follow the installation prompts and presto! – PresLink’s welcome message should automatically appear the next time you open Microsoft Word along with a “PresLink” menu on Word’s main menu bar. (If you don’t see PresLink, contact our support team for assistance.)
If you encounter any problems during installation or simply want more information about the installation process, please visit our DealMaven Product Installation forum.
New users automatically receive a 60-day free trial of PresLink. The product will warn you when your free trial is about to expire.
Once the trial period is up, you’ll receive an expiration message each time you open Word or attempt to use any of PresLink’s features. To use PresLink after the trial period, you’ll need to activate your copy of the product as detailed below.
How do I activate PresLink?
If you’ve purchased PresLink for Word, please follow the DealMaven Product Activation instructions to activate the product. If you’re receiving expiration messages and wish to continue using PresLink, click here to purchase it.
If you have difficulty activating your copy of PresLink or want to know more about the activation process, please visit our DealMaven Product Activation forum. If you can’t find the answers you’re looking for there, you can also contact our support team for assistance.
Getting Started
What’s the best way to get started using PresLink?
We realize it may be daunting the first time you try and use PresLink, therefore, we’ve developed two primary resources to aid you:
- ‘PresLinkàTools’ menu and the ‘PresLinkàImport’ menus in Word
- Reference guide: This printable PDF contains an overview of the product and instructions on how to get started with the product’s top time-saving tools. We recommend that you print it for easy desktop reference.
Where can I find in-depth help documentation and other technical support for PresLink?
You can access PresLink’s full help documentation at the bottom of the ‘PresLink’ menu in Word.
Additional assistance is available through this forum or by contacting our support team.
General
I want to send a copy of my Word document to my client. Will they need to have PresLink installed in order to view my files?
No, MS Office files that have been created with the aid of PresLink can be opened by any person using the appropriate MS Office applications. Those that do not have PresLink installed should not have any issues opening, viewing, or modifying PresLinked files.
Does PresLink update linked items in my document automatically when the data in the Excel file changes?
PresLink gives you full control over what items are updated and when. You can update individual items by right clicking them and selecting update or update multiple or all items from the PresLink menu by selecting the Linked Items Wizard. You can use “Select All” to select every linked item in the document or presentation or hold down the ‘Ctrl’ key and select only the items you wish and click the ‘Update’ button.
Can I send data from different Excel files to the same document or presentation?
Yes, you can send data in a variety of forms (pictures, charts, embedded worksheets, etc.) from multiple Excel files to your document. If you wish to edit the file path for those linked items you can open the Linked Items Wizard from the PresLink menu and click the ‘Source Path’ header to sort the file names in order to select and edit them.
I want to import Excel data to a particular place in my document. How can I accomplish this?
You can position your cursor in a particular place in your document, or you can select a shape already present in the document or presentation and import the Excel data you have selected. If you have selected a shape you may want to review the PresLink user settings that may affect the way that PresLink sizes the newly imported data.
PresLink Tools
When I import data from Excel into my document, why is the font color always black and not the font color used in Excel?
There is a PresLink user setting (on by default) that changes the font color of Excel cells to black on initial import. You can change this user setting to allow your linked items to retain their Excel font colors. To change the user setting, select “User Settings” from the PresLink menu in Word and follow the instructions below:
Select the “Pictures” tab and uncheck the ‘Convert color of imported Excel cells to’ checkbox (See Screenshot Below). Note: double clicking the color swatch to the right of the setting will allow you to select a different color from the color picker.
When I import data into my documents it comes in as a picture that I can’t edit. Can I import the data as an embedded worksheet?
Yes, instead of choosing PresLink -> Import from Excel -> Table as Picture, choose PresLink -> Import from Excel -> Table as Word Table and you will have a fully editable word table. Please note that any data which is changed in Word will not change in Excel and if you decide to update the Word table, it will update with the data from Excel.
When I update some of my linked items the sizing of the item changes. How can I stop this?
Click on the PresLink menu in Word and go to “User Settings…” then go to the “Pictures” tab and then select the “Resize” tab to access the way shape sizing is handled on initial import and updates.
Why am I prompted to save my Excel file before exporting data to Word? And then again when trying to close Excel?
Newly created Excel files must be saved before exporting data to Word so that PresLink can store the necessary link information in the Excel source file to allow updating and editing of the exported items. Link information is stored within the Excel source file itself, so you will also be prompted to save Excel files when attempting to close Excel after exporting new data to Word.
Bear in mind that you should save both the target document and the Excel spreadsheet after you’ve created your links; failure to do so will result in links not being preserved.
PresLink uses range names which it defines to know which links to use in Excel spreadsheets; these names also get saved when you save the spreadsheet.
Why is my PresLink menu missing from the menu bar in Excel or Word?
Verify that PresLink has been installed on the user’s machine/profile
Check that PresLink is not a disabled item, and enable it if it is (HelpàAbout Microsoft Excel or WordàDisabled Items). Once re-enabled, restart Excel/Word.
If the PresLink menu is still not displayed in Excel, follow the steps below
Close Excel and rename the file named “Excel11.xlb” (located in the C:\Documents and Settings\(your user profile folder)\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel folder. If you don’t see the “Application Data” folder then you need to enable hidden folders. Simply go to ToolsàFolder OptionsàView and select ‘Show Hidden Files and Folders’ then click ’OK’ to exit. After that, restart Excel. Excel will regenerate this file the next time it is opened and the PresLink menu should now be available.
Error Messages
I attempted to update linked items in my document and I received an error message stating that Excel is closed, the PresLink Excel add-in is not installed properly, unable to connect, or the source application is busy. Why?
PresLink requires that Excel be open and available when updating or viewing the source documents of linked items. It does not, however, require you to open the particular Excel files to which your documents and presentations are linked. If you are editing a cell in Excel (if the cursor is blinking in the cell or formula bar) or viewing a dialog box, PresLink cannot communicate with Excel because it is busy. To successfully update a linked item, you must exit the “edit cell” mode or open dialog box in Excel by hitting the escape key before retrying your update.
If you continue to receive this error message, check your main menu bar in Excel to be sure you have a “PresLink” menu. If you do not see this menu, refer to the “Why is my PresLink menu missing from the menu bar in Excel or PowerPoint?” section of this FAQ.
If none of the above solutions are effective, PresLink may not be installed or configured correctly on the machine and a reinstallation may be necessary.
If you still have difficulties, please contact our support team for assistance.
I’m trying to edit the file path of a linked item using the Linked Items Wizard, but I receive an error message stating that the range cannot be found in the Excel file I’ve selected.
When changing or editing the file path information of a linked item it is important to know that the Excel file you select must contain PresLink link information. The easiest way to accomplish this is to save the original Excel file you used to export and link data, charts, word tables, etc. as a new version. You can then make changes to the data in the versioned Excel file and then edit the link information and point it at the most recent version of the Excel file.
When I attempt to export a large range from Excel into a document I get a message that states PresLink did not copy the data because the selected area is too large or Excel cannot complete this task. What does this mean?
When linking data as a picture to your documents and presentations PresLink will prompt you if you have exceeded a certain pixel limit inherent to MS Office. PresLink extends the functionality of native MS Office technology by allowing you to import large ranges to your documents or presentations as bitmap pictures. If you would like to import the large range at a lower resolution please check the PresLink user setting (Pictures Tab) "Allow copy large Excel items at sub-optimal resolution".
Why am I getting an “Unable to load the file [.dll file] from the [DealMaven Product Name]” error?
This error is caused by a DLL file that is either missing or unregistered. Installation of the software was either interrupted or not done correctly. The PresLink package needs to be reinstalled to correct the issue.
If you still have difficulties, please contact our support team for assistance. If you are a corporate client, please call your help desk.
I attempted to export/update Excel data in my document and I received an error message stating that there may be more than one instance of Excel running. Why?
Please hit the keys CTRL - Alt – Delete, open the Task manager and click on the Processes tab. Click the Image Name Column header to sort the running processes by name. Look for more than one instance of Excel.exe.
If more than one instance is found, save all work in Excel and then end both Excel processes. Typically a second Excel.exe process is a hidden or hanging process. Once both processes are ended open Excel and attempt to run an Export or Update as before.
When I attempt to export, import, or update data in Word as a PowerPoint shape, I receive the following message: “PowerPoint is closed, busy or unavailable or the DealMaven PresLink add-in for PowerPoint is not properly installed”. Why is this happening?
Microsoft Word must be opened by the user when performing any PresLink operations involving embedded Word tables including: exporting/importing Excel data as a Word table, updating Word tables, editing source Excel spreadsheets.
Corporate Client Issues
When I open a new workbook in Excel it doesn’t use the firm’s standard font, or color palette.
There are two items that may effect PresLink’s ability to insert the standard workbook template:
In Excel click PresLink àUser Settingsà Template tab and verify that the “For new workbook” and “For new worksheet” boxes are checked
Browse to the C:\Documents and Settings\(your user profile folder)\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLStart folder (if you don’t see the “Application Data” folder then you need to enable hidden folders. Simply go to ToolsàFolder OptionsàView and select ‘Show Hidden Files and Folders’ then click ’OK’ to exit). If you find the file personal.xls you can either remove it or open it and click PresLink à Tools à Apply Standard Color Palette and Apply Standard Font.
Temporarily Disabling PresLink
How do I temporarily disable PresLink?
To temporarily disable PresLink, open Windows Explorer and browse to the ‘C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\DealMaven’ folder, where USERNAME is your Windows username. (If you don’t see the “Application Data” folder then you need to enable hidden folders. Simply go to ‘ToolsàFolder OptionsàView’ and select ‘Show Hidden Files and Folders’ then click ’OK’ to exit. Also, if the ‘DealMaven’ folder does not exist, go ahead and create it). In this folder, right-click and select ‘NewàText Document’ to create a new file named ‘PresLinkPPT_OFF.txt’. The next time you open Microsoft Word, PresLink will not load.
Please keep in mind that the PresLink Word menu will continue to exist, though the menu will be empty.
To re-enable PresLink, simply rename or delete the aforementioned file.
Uninstallation
How do I uninstall PresLink?
To PERMANENTLY uninstall PresLink:
- Close Word.
- In Windows, select ‘StartàControl PanelàAdd or Remove Programs’.
- Select DealMaven PresLink for Word from the list and remove the program.
Please contact our support team if you require assistance.
Index of Resources
PresLink for Word Product Page: Learn about PresLink, view demonstrations of the product’s key features and concepts, read testimonials, and purchase the product from this web page.
PresLink vs. Standard Microsoft Office Linking: See how PresLink far surpasses native Microsoft Office linking.
PresLink Reference Guide: This printable PDF contains an overview of the product and instructions on how to get started with the product’s top time-saving tools. We recommend that you print it for easy desktop reference.
Product Installation Instructions: This forum post has detailed instructions on how to install all DealMaven products.
Product Activation Instructions: If you’ve purchased a subscription or a permanent license for PresLink, go to this forum to get instructions on how to activate your copy of the product and use it beyond the 60-day trial period.