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OLE Action in Excel: How to make it work again?

Excel Tips
Updated on August 20, 2024

Are you getting “Microsoft excel is waiting for another application to complete an ole action” warning? And, do you want to understand what’s OLE action? Then, here’s a complete guide for OLE Action in Excel with common reasons and troubleshooting.

Table Of Content

1. What’s OLE Action?
2. How to embed an object on your worksheet?
3. How to stop Microsoft waiting for another application?
4. Why do I keep getting an OLE error in Excel?
5. Conclusion

Basically, Excel has unbelievable visualization and calculation features with ability to integrate with other MS Office programs. But the not working errors can be frustrating and time-consuming to figure out the cause or fix this error.

So, this article will define an OLE action, explain why this error occurs, and provide step-by-step solutions to fix and prevent it.

1. What’s OLE Action?

Microsoft developed OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) action to embed and link documents and other objects. So, embedding Word, PowerPoint, and external data sources into Excel workbooks lets Excel interact with them. Thus, the ability to add rich, integrated content from various sources to spreadsheets boosts productivity and effectiveness.

Basically, you can embed a Word document in an Excel spreadsheet for detailed documentation or link to a PowerPoint presentation for a slide. OLE lets Excel edit embedded objects in their native applications. This seamless interaction can cause the OLE action error when Excel waits for another application to respond or finish its task.

2. How to embed an object on your worksheet?

Before explaining the troubleshooting, let’s first understand how to embed an object on your worksheet.

Select into a cell where you want to embed an object
On the ribbon, go to Insert > Text Group > Object
On the Object dialogue box, you can either Create New or Create from File.

So, on the first tab, you can create a new object. Also, you can select Display as icon option with ability to change the icon. So, this option will create an object from scratch.

However, if you want to use an existing object from any other MS Office programs, then you can go to the second tab Create From File. So, this will link to another file to add a dynamic object to your file.

So, to link an existing document to your spreadsheet:

On the Object box, select Create from file
Browse your reference file
Checkmark the link and icon options to add a link to the file and an icon for your worksheet

Then, when you double click on the icon, this will bring you to the refernce file. That’s simply how OLE action works in Excel.

3. How to stop Microsoft waiting for another application?

Thus, OLE is very useful and easy feature of Microsoft. But, this interconnection between files might also bring some issues.

But, the most common of these issues is the Microsoft Excel is waiting for another application to complete an OLE action error. So, this error means Excel is awaiting a response.

There are some options to fix this error.

a. Check for Open Dialog Boxes

Firstly, this error is usually caused by an open dialog box in another app. You should close all linked applications’ dialog boxes, such as Word or PowerPoint. Also, you can look for hidden or minimized windows that may require action.

b. Disable Add-ins

Furthermore, the add-ins can hinder Excel’s OLE actions. If an add-in is causing the problem, disable it temporarily:

Go to Excel > Options > Add-ins
Click on manage add-ins and go

Uncheck all add-ins and click OK

Lastly, test the issue by restarting Excel.

If this is not the reason behind your error, then you can re-enable each add-in to find the culprit.

c. Adjust DDE for OLE Action in Excel

The reason behind your error might also be the DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) protocol. Because, sometimes DDE protocol may lead to OLE action in Excel.

To adjust DDE settings:

Go to File > Options > Advanced
Scroll down to General
Check the Ignore other applications that use DDE
Click OK and restart your Excel

The above image shows you how to disable DDE protocol for other applications

d. Check for Macro Issues

Macros can sometimes cause OLE action errors. If you are using a macro-enabled workbook, try disabling macros:

Go to File > Options > Trust Center
Select Trust Center Settings and Go to Macro Settings
Select Disable all macros without notification and click OK
Restart your Excel

You should be sure about doing this step, as your workbook may include indispensable macros.

WARNING: This will disable all your macros in your workbook. This might cause limitations or corruptions in your calculations.

e. Update MS Office

Sometimes using the older versions of MS also may cause this error. So please be sure that you’re using the latest Microsoft Office version, as updates often fix issues.

To update Office:

Open any Office app (Excel)
Select Account from File
Click Update Options, then Update Now
Install updates using the prompts

f. Repair MS Office

Next, repairing Office may also fix the problem if updating doesn’t work:

Launch your computer’s Control Panel
Choose Programs and Features
Select Microsoft Office from the installed programs
Click Change > Quick Repair
If this fails, try Online Repair

This will repair the entire MS Office programs.

g. Kill Running Processes against OLE Action in Excel

If your issue still persists, you can try closing all processes. Because, the background processes may cause OLE action errors, too.

You can end these processes with Task Manager:

Open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc shortcut
Check for background Excel, Word, or Office apps
Click End Task on the process
Restart Excel

These are the possible troubleshooting solutions. So you should have stop Microsoft showing OLE Action error in Excel now.

4. Why do I keep getting an OLE error in Excel?

OLE action errors may persist for several reasons:

Add-in Conflicts: Ensure you have identified and disabled any problematic add-ins.
Office Installation Corrupt: . Repairing or reinstalling Office can help resolve this issue.
Outdated Software: Using outdated versions of Office or other applications can cause compatibility issues. Regularly updating your software can prevent these problems.
Complex Macros: Macros that are too complex or poorly written can cause OLE action errors.
External Data Sources: If your Excel workbook relies on external data sources, ensure they are accessible and functioning correctly. Network issues or changes in data source paths can lead to errors.

We’ll also add some additional Keynotes to prevent OLE action issue in the future.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Keep your Microsoft Office software updated
- Don't open too many Excel files simultaneously
- Keep your Add-ins portfolio clean. Disable unemployed add-ins regularly
- Try to keep your excel files as small as possible. Because complex Excel files will need processing power. Sometimes a small formula update may downsize your Excel file!
- Do not miss the regular clean ups for temporary files

5. Conclusion

Finally, we have tried to explain OLE action in excel and understand the not working issue caused by OLE actions.

The Microsoft Excel is waiting for another application to complete an OLE action error can disrupt your workflow. By understanding an OLE action and following the steps in this article, you can fix the problem and prevent it from happening again.

Lastly, maintaining a smooth Excel experience requires updating software, managing add-ins, and optimizing macros. These tips will help you minimize disruptions and use Excel’s powerful data analysis and management features.

Do you want to master your Excel skills? Start with the Formulas: