expression.PreserveFormattingOnUpdate
expression Required. An expression that returns one of the objects in the Applies To list.
Remarks
When PreserveFormattingOnUpdate is set to True, formatting changes made to the object in Word is preserved when the object is updated. Word updates only the content in the linked object.
Example
This example preserves the formatting of the first shape in the current document, assuming the first shape in the document is a linked OLE object.
Sub PreserveFmtg()
ThisDocument.Shapes(1).OLEFormat _
.PreserveFormattingOnUpdate = True
End Sub