I want to create a table in word and one of the columns will be called 'review date'. The dates in this column will be the dates that have been added as text in another document at the end. e.g One document will have a box titled 'Next review date'. a date will then be typed into this box for instance '07/05/16' I would then like the other word document to pick up this date automatically on opening and be able to update itself as and when the 'next review date is changed. I hope that is clear and any help anybody can give me in achieving this would be most appreciated.

So we are clear.
Doc1 = letter about somthing that includes Review Date
Doc2 = table that includes review dates

How does Doc2 know to look in Doc1? How does Doc2 know about Doc1?

Other columns in Doc 2 have hyperlinks to other documents on our server. I was hoping that it was possible for one column to look at review dates (which could be a hyperlinked text) within other documents and inform the person opening Doc 2 whether the document was still valid, in other words that it hadn't exceeded the review date. I used to be able to do a similar thing when linking an excel spreadsheet to a word document.

Still trying to work this out. I used to be able to do something similar when linking an excel file to word by using something called 'OLE'. I want to link two word documents now but one of them (DOC1) will show the review date that is typed into DOC2. Is this possible ??

Yes, in several ways.
The date in DOC2 must be marked with a bookmark.
You can use an INCLUDETEXT or a LINK field to refer to it.
Note that these links tend to break if you move the documents around.

See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...?wa=wsignin1.0.

I've tried several times now but always get the message - Error! Not a valid link.

What steps are you taking to create or generate the link?

I set up a table in document 1 with one of the columns referring to a review date. In row 1 fir instance the review date was "Jan 2016". I then inserted a bookmark around this date (called ReviewDate). In document 2, I tried to use the link field command listed "Insert, Quick part, Field" and tried to follow the procedure for linking file, bookmark and auto update to give the date Jan 2016 in a cell within a table but kept getting the message "Error! not a valid link"

I know it is tedious, but
does not tell me exactly what steps you are taking, just that you are trying.

Not really sure what you are asking, but I'll attempt to lay it out my procedures. (incidentally, I took my query up to IT services on the university campus, they are running Word2013 as opposed to Word 2010 and the link I had created worked straight away without any additional input from them so I'm beginning to think it is a Word 2010 problem !!
On opening Quick parts, I choose <Field> and then <Link> for class name I choose <word.document.8> I think the problem stems from here, under filename or url I type E:\document1.docx ReviewDate (with or without [] - makes no difference) and then tick update fields automatically. I either get the message "Error! not a valid link" or "Word is unable to create a link to the object you specified. Please insert the object directly into your file without creating a link"

OK. I am able to replicate the error message (in both Word 2010 and 2013). I don't use LINK fields, myself, so am unable to provide more insight.

Note that I do not get the error message when I link to the file without using a bookmark.

This is the MS reference page on the field but it didn't help me.
https://support.office.com/en-us/art...rs=en-US&ad=US