Sometimes, you want to include the data in an Excel spreadsheet in your Microsoft Word document. There are a couple of alternatives to do this, depending on whether or not you want to maintain a connection to the source excel sheet. We'll see.
What is the difference between linking and embedding?
Actually, You have three options for including a spreadsheet in a Word document. The first is by simply copying that data from the spreadsheet and then pasting it into the destination document.. For the most part, this only works with truly simple data because that data is just converted to a basic table or set of columns in Word (depending on the paste option you choose).
Although that can be helpful sometimes, your other two options, link and embed, they are much more powerful and they are what we will show you how to do in this post. They are both quite similar, since you end up inserting a real excel spreadsheet into your target document. It will look like an Excel sheet and you can use Excel tools to manipulate it. The difference lies in how these two options treat your connection to that original Excel spreadsheet:
- If you Link an Excel spreadsheet in a document, the target document and the original excel sheet maintain a connection. If you update the Excel file, those updates are automatically reflected in the target document.
- If you embed an Excel spreadsheet in a document, that connection is broken. Updating the original Excel sheet does not automatically update the data in the destination document.
Both methods have advantages, in any case. An advantage of linking a document (while maintaining the connection) is that it keeps the file size of your Word document low, because most of the data is still stored in excel sheet and only displayed in word. One downside is that the original spreadsheet file must stay in the same location. If that is not the case, you will have to link it again. And since it is based on the link to the original spreadsheet, not so useful if you need to distribute the document to people who do not have access to that location.
Embed a document, on the other hand, increases the size of your Word document, because all that Excel data is truly embedded in the Word file. Despite this, inlay has a few distinct advantages. As an example, if you distribute that document to people who might not have access to the original excel sheet, or if the document needs to show that excel sheet at a specific time (instead of updating), embed (and break the connection with the original sheet) makes more sense.
Then, with all that in mind, Let's take a look at how to link and embed an Excel sheet in Microsoft Word.
How to link or embed an Excel spreadsheet in Microsoft Word
Linking or embedding an Excel spreadsheet into a Word is actually pretty straightforward, and the procedure to do it is almost identical. Start by opening the Excel spreadsheet and the Word document you want to edit at the same time.
In excel, select the cells you want to link or embed. If you want to link or embed the entire worksheet, click the box at the junction of the rows and columns in the upper left corner to choose the whole sheet.
Copy those cells by pressing CTRL + C in Windows the Command + C on macOS. You can also right-click on any selected cell and then select the option “Copy” in the context menu.
Now, switch to your Word document and click to place the insertion point where you would like the linked or embedded material to go. On the Home tab of the ribbon, You can also right-click on any selected cell and then select the option “Catch” You can also right-click on any selected cell and then select the option “Special glue” from the drop down menu.
This opens the Paste Special window. And this is where you will find the only functional difference in the processes of linking or embedding a file.
If you wish embed your spreadsheet, choose option “Catch” on the left. If you wish Link your spreadsheet, choose option “You can also right-click on any selected cell and then select the option” instead. Seriously, that is all. Otherwise, this procedure is identical.
Whichever option you choose, then, You can also right-click on any selected cell and then select the option “You can also right-click on any selected cell and then select the option” You can also right-click on any selected cell and then select the option, and then click the button “To accept”.
And you will see your excel sheet (or the cells you selected) in your word document.
If you linked excel data, you cannot edit them directly in Word, but you can double click anywhere to open the original spreadsheet file. And any update you make to that original spreadsheet will be reflected in your Word document.
If you Incorporated excel data, you can edit them directly in Word. Double click anywhere on the spreadsheet and you will stay in the same Word window, but the Word ribbon will be replaced by the Excel ribbon and you will be able to access all the Excel functions. It's kind of cool.
And when you want to stop editing the spreadsheet and go back to the Word controls, just click anywhere outside the spreadsheet.
Note: If you are working on a Word document and want to include a spreadsheet that you have not yet created, can do it. Actually, you can insert an excel spreadsheet directly from the Table drop down menu on the ribbon.
RELATED: How to use Excel-style spreadsheets in Microsoft Word
