Part IV: Using Advanced Excel Features

FIGURE 29.5

Use Word’s Links dialog box to modify or break links.

Embedding Objects in a Worksheet

Using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE), you can also embed an object to share information between Windows applications. This technique enables you to insert an object from another program and use that program’s editing tools to manipulate it. The OLE objects can be such items as

•Text documents from other products, such as word processors

•Drawings or pictures from other products

•Information from special OLE server applications, such as Microsoft Equation

•Sound files

•Video or animation files

Many (but certainly not all) Windows applications support OLE. Embedding is often used for a document that you will distribute to others. It can eliminate the need to send multiple document files and help avoid broken link problems.

To embed an object into an Excel workbook, choose Insert Text Object, which displays the Object dialog box. This dialog box has two tabs: one for creating a new object and one for creating an object from an existing file.

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Embedding Word documents

To embed an empty Word document into an Excel worksheet, choose Insert Text Object in Excel. In the Object dialog box, click the Create New tab and then select Microsoft Office Word Document from the Object type list.

The result is a blank Word document, activated and ready for you to enter text. Notice that Word’s Ribbon replaces Excel’s Ribbon, giving you access to all of Word’s features.

To embed a copy of an existing Word file, click the Create from File tab in the Object dialog box and then locate the file on your hard drive. The Word document is inserted into your Excel worksheet. Double-click the document to display the Word Ribbon.

Embedding other types of documents

You can embed many other types of objects, including audio clips, video clips, MIDI sequences, and even an entire Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

Figure 29.6 shows an MP3 audio file embedded in a worksheet. Clicking the object plays the song on the default MP3 player.

FIGURE 29.6

An MP3 file embedded in a worksheet.

Tip

Some of the object types listed in the Object dialog box can result in quite useful and interesting items when inserted into an Excel worksheet. If you’re not sure what an object type is, try adding the object to a blank Excel workbook to see what is available. Keep in mind that not all the objects listed in this dialog box actually work with Excel. Attempting to use some of them may even crash Excel. n

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Embedding an Excel Workbook

in a Word Document

You can embed an Excel workbook in a Word document in three ways:

•Copy a range and use Word’s Paste Special dialog box.

•Open an existing Excel file using Word’s Object dialog box.

•Create a new Excel workbook using Word’s Object dialog box.

The following sections cover these methods.

Embedding a workbook in Word by copying

The example in this section describes how to embed an Excel workbook (shown in Figure 29.7) in a Word document.

FIGURE 29.7

This workbook will be embedded in a Word document.

To start, select A3:C15 and copy the range to the Clipboard. Then activate (or start) Word, open the document in which you want to embed the range, and move the insertion point to the location in the document where you want the table to appear. Choose Word’s Home Clipboard

Paste Paste Special command. Select the Paste option (not the Paste Link option) and then choose the Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object format. Click OK, and the range appears in the Word document. Although it appears that only the range is embedded, the entire Excel workbook is actually embedded.

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If you double-click the embedded object, you notice that Word’s Ribbon is replaced by the Excel Ribbon. In addition, the embedded object appears with Excel’s familiar row and column borders. In other words, you can edit this object in place by using Excel’s commands. Figure 29.8 shows the Word document after double-clicking the embedded Excel workbook. To return to Word, just click anywhere in the Word document.

FIGURE 29.8

Double-clicking the embedded Excel object enables you to edit it in place. Note that Word now displays Excel’s Ribbon.

Caution

Remember that no link is involved here. If you make changes to the embedded object in Word, these changes don’t appear in the original Excel worksheet. Because the embedded object is a copy of the original workbook, it is completely independent from the original source. n

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You may have noticed that Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object also appears in the Paste Special dialog box when you select the Paste Link option. If you paste the range using this option, the workbook isn’t embedded in the Word document. When you double-click the object, Excel is activated so that you can edit the workbook.

Embedding a saved workbook in Word

Another way to embed an Excel workbook in a Word document is to choose Insert Text Object in Word, which displays the Object dialog box. Select the Create from File tab, click Browse and locate the Excel document. When you click OK, a copy of the workbook is embedded in the document. No link is created.

Note

If you select the Link to File check box in the Object dialog box, you create a link to the workbook. In such a case, double-clicking the object in Word activates Excel so that you can edit the workbook. n

Creating a new Excel object in Word

The preceding examples embed an existing workbook into a Word document. This section demonstrates how to create a new (empty) Excel object in Word, which is useful if you’re creating a report and need to insert a table of values. If those values aren’t available in an existing Excel workbook, you can embed a new Excel object and type them.

Tip

You could insert a normal Word table, but you can take advantage of Excel’s formulas and functions in an embedded Excel worksheet. n

To create a new Excel object in a Word document, choose Insert Text Object in Word. Word responds with the Object dialog box. Click the Create New tab, and you see a list of the types of objects that you can create. Select Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet from the list and then click OK.

Word inserts an empty Excel worksheet object into the document and activates it for you. Again, you have full access to the Excel Ribbon, so you can enter whatever you want into the worksheet object. After you finish, click anywhere in the Word document. You can double-click this object at any time to make changes or additions.

You can change the size of the object while it’s activated by dragging any of the sizing handles (the little black squares and rectangles) that appear on the borders of the object.

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