If you are presenting a PowerPoint slide with data in it, you can import the data from an existing Excel spreadsheet. You may want the slide to have the latest data from the updated Excel worksheet. For this, you must link the entire worksheet to your PowerPoint slide. If the entire worksheet is not necessary, you can link a part of the data from the worksheet. If you do not want to link, simply copy the data from the Excel worksheet and paste it into your PowerPoint slide.
5 ways to insert Excel data into PowerPoint.
- Link the entire Worksheet
- Link a part of the Worksheet
- Copy and Paste data from the Worksheet
- Insert the Worksheet as a picture
- Open a new Excel worksheet in PowerPoint
Let us look at each of them as simple step-wise instructions.
Method #1: Link the entire worksheet into PowerPoint.
Step #1: Open the PowerPoint slide.
Open the PowerPoint slide where you want to insert Excel data.
Place the cursor where you want the Excel data to appear.
Step #2: Link the Worksheet
Click on the Insert tab in the main menu bar to change the ribbon
In the section Text, click on the Object icon.
This opens the Insert Object dialog box.
Click on Create from file, and ensure the circle on the left has a mark.
Click on Browse, and the File Manager will open.
Locate the Excel worksheet you want to link.
Click on Link and ensure its box has a tick mark.
Click on OK to exit the dialog box.
Your slide now shows the Excel worksheet.
Method #2: Link a part of the Worksheet into PowerPoint.
Step #1: Open the Excel worksheet.
Open the Excel worksheet that you want to insert.
Select the rows and columns that you want to link.
Step #2: Copy the selected data
Click on the Home tab in the main menu bar to change the ribbon.
In the section Clipboard, click on the Copy icon.
The selected data is now stored in the Clipboard.
Step #3: Open the PowerPoint slide.
Open the PowerPoint slide where you want to insert Excel data.
Place the cursor where you want the Excel data to appear.
Step #4: Link the worksheet data.
Click on the Home tab in the main menu bar to change the ribbon.
In the section Clipboard, click on the Paste icon.
In the Paste Options that open, click on Paste Special.
This opens a Paste Special dialog box.
Click on Paste link and ensure the circle on the left has a dot inside.
Under As:, click on Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object.
Click on the OK tab at the bottom to exit the dialog box.
The PowerPoint slide now shows the selected data from the Excel worksheet.
Method #3: Copy and Paste data from the worksheet.
Step #1: Open the Excel worksheet.
Open the Excel worksheet that you want to insert.
Select the rows and columns that you want to link.
Step #2: Copy the selected data.
Click on the Home tab in the main menu bar to change the ribbon.
In the section Clipboard, click on the Copy icon.
The selected data is now stored into the Clipboard.
Step #3: Open the PowerPoint slide.
Open the PowerPoint slide where you want to insert Excel data.
Place the cursor where you want the Excel data to appear.
Step #4: Link the worksheet data.
Click on the Home tab in the main menu bar to change the ribbon.
In the section Clipboard, click on the Paste icon.
In the Paste Options menu that opens, PowerPoint offers the following choices:
- Use Destination Style — Follows the style used in the PowerPoint slide
- Keep Source Formatting — Retains the Excel formatting
- Embed — Embed the data into the slide
- Picture — Paste as a picture object
- Keep Text Only — Paste only data, without the table boundaries.
Click on the most suitable paste option (we are using Keep Text Only)
The Excel data appears in the slide.
Method #4: Insert the Worksheet as a Picture
Step #1: Open the Excel worksheet.
Open the Excel worksheet that you want to insert
Select the rows and columns that you want to link.
Step #2: Copy the selected data as picture
Click on the Home tab in the main menu bar to change the ribbon.
In the section Clipboard, click on the down triangle on the right side of the Copy icon.
Two options appear.
Click on Copy as Picture.
A Copy Picture dialog opens.
Select the Appearance and Format you prefer.
Click on OK to exit the dialog.
The selected data is now stored in the Clipboard.
Step #3: Open the PowerPoint slide.
Open the PowerPoint slide where you want to insert Excel data.
Place the cursor where you want the Excel data to appear.
Step #4: Paste the worksheet data
Click on the Home tab in the main menu bar to change the ribbon.
In the section Clipboard, click on the Paste icon.
In the Paste Options that open, Click on Paste Special.
A Paste Special dialog box opens.
Under As:, click on Picture (Enhanced Metafile).
Click on OK to exit the dialog box.
The Excel data appears in the slide as a picture.
Method #5: Open a new Excel worksheet in PowerPoint
Step #1: Open the PowerPoint slide.
Open the PowerPoint slide where you want to insert Excel data.
Place the cursor where you want the Excel data to appear.
Step #2: Open a new Excel Worksheet
Click on the Insert tab in the main menu bar to change the ribbon.
In the section Tables, click on the Table icon.
A drop-down menu opens. Click on Excel Spreadsheet at the bottom.
PowerPoint opens an empty worksheet within the slide.
Step #3: Fill the worksheet
You can enter data in the worksheet.
You can also copy-paste the data from an existing Excel Worksheet (Refer Method #3)
Conclusion
We have shown you five methods of inserting Excel data into your PowerPoint slide. Use the one most suitable to your purpose.