Microsoft Office applications stalling and crashing

Begin with deleting the offending Microsoft Apps from your iPad - and then perform a forced restart before re-installing the Apps from the App Store.

Remove or delete apps from iPad - Apple Support

Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
3. Press and hold the top button.
4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.

Next, if the problem persists after performing the restart, try copying one or two problematic test files from iCloud to your iPad's local storage - and then open the locally stored copy. This will eliminate several potential factors from the equation; if the files can be opened and edited from the local copy, the problem is external to your iPad. Otherwise, the problem may be with the files themselves.

You might also consider resetting your iPad settings. While this reset will not cause any loss of data, as a precaution, it is always wise to ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup before performing the reset:

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

When you are happy to proceed, you can perform the reset from iPad settings:

Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset All Settings

If the problem still doesn’t clear, the a further step is to reset the iPad to factory settings:

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support

Otherwise, as your issues relate specifically to Microsoft Apps, you would be well advised to seek assistance from Microsoft's own online technical resources.

To the best of my knowledge, there are no widespread stability issues with the MS Productivity Apps under iPadOS - although I note that there have been many updates to the MS Apps in recent days.

Do you have sufficient free storage space on your iPad? It is generally recommended that you always keep at least 4-6GB of free space available at all times - as iPadOS will need to use some of this space while Apps are running.

maxgbailey wrote:

Do I need to now take a different path and work through the Microsoft support path?

Really frustrated, I have wasted so much time and lost productivity in my days with this, I was so excited to get the new iPad and have the “laptop replacement” but have been thoroughly disappointed and frustrated with the whole experience.

Yours does not appear to be a widespread problem. This is not to say that you don't have an issue, but merely an observation that given the pervasiveness of Microsoft Productivity Apps, if the problem were widespread, we might expect to see many similar reports here.

Yes, you would be best advised to seek assistance from Microsoft.

You're very welcome.

Do consider returning here to share any information or solution that you uncover - as this may help others that encounter a similar issue.