While working in an Excel workbook, you may want to add extensive information to it. However, it’s easier to embed or link information. For example, you may want to insert a Word document or a PDF in your MS Excel workbook. For this, you can use the Object feature in Excel. By inserting an Object in MS Excel, you can embed an external object into the worksheet.
2 Methods of inserting an object in Microsoft Excel:
- Insert an object by creating a new file
- Insert an object by uploading an existing file
Let us begin.
Method #1: Insert an Object by Creating a New File
In this method, you can see how to insert an object in MS Excel by creating a new file.
Step #1: Open your Excel workbook
Open the Excel app and click on Blank workbook to create a new workbook.
If you have an existing workbook, open that one.
Step #2: Go to the Insert tab
Go to the Insert tab in the main menu bar.
Click on the Object icon under the Text section of the Insert ribbon.
Step #3: Select the object type
The Object dialog box will open.
Under the Create New tab, select the type of object you want to create.
For our example, let’s create a Microsoft Graph Chart.
Step #4: Choose how to display the object
You can choose how to display the object. If the Display as icon checkbox is unchecked, the object will be embedded in your workbook itself and you can view the contents directly.
If the Display as icon checkbox is checked, the object will be embedded as an icon. You can view its contents by clicking on the icon.
Step #5: Click OK
After making your choice, click on the OK button.
If you choose the Display as icon option, your graph will be embedded as an icon as shown below.
To view the graph, you have to double-click on the icon.
If you did not choose the Display as icon option, you can view the graph directly in your workbook as shown below.
Method #2: Insert an Object by Uploading an Existing File
Step #1: Open your Excel workbook
Open an existing workbook or create a new one.
Step #2: Go to the Insert tab
Go to the Insert tab in the main menu bar.
Click on the Object icon under the Text section of the Insert ribbon.
Step #3: Upload the file
The Object dialog box will open.
Under the Create from file tab, click on Browse to select a file.
Step #4: Choose how to display the object
Once you’ve browsed and selected the file, you can choose how to display it.
To embed the file as an icon without its contents in your workbook, you can check the Display as icon checkbox.
To embed it along with its content in your workbook, you can leave the Display as icon checkbox unchecked.
If you check the Link to file checkbox, changes made to the original file will be reflected in the embedded file.
Step #5: Click OK
After making your choices, you can click on the OK button.
If you chose the Display as icon checkbox, you will see an icon. On clicking the icon, you can see the Excel file.
If you left the Display as icon checkbox unchecked, you can see the contents of the Excel embedded in the file.
Conclusion
You don’t have to worry about your Excel spreadsheet being overloaded with information anymore. You can use the above methods to insert objects. This will help you link to external sources and keep your workbook neat and clutter-free.