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Step 1 - How can I link my Charts ?

It is possible to link your Excel charts into your presentations.

If you are going to link your Excel charts, then place them on separate Chart sheets and not embedded within a worksheet. Any changes to a worksheet Zoom factor will be reflected back to the linked chart in PowerPoint.

Charts will not be pasted as links by using (Ctrl + C) and (Ctrl + V).

When you copy an Excel chart and want to paste it as a picture then you must first copy it as an "Excel chart object" and then paste as a picture. If not when you zoom in the chart text will be distorted ???

Step 2 - Using the Paste Special Dialog Box

You must have the Chart Area selected before you copy it (i.e. black handles)

If you want a linked file, check the link checkbox

If the file contains linked information and you have chosen not to select link, you will see a message again asking you if you want to update the linked information.

When you have linked objects you should always make the permanent changes to the original file.

It is possible to make changes to the image via PowerPoint although these are only temporary and will be lost when you close the presentation

The next time you open the presentation the link will be updated (?)

You can import from Excel

(Edit > Import File)

Select "Create from file"

Step 3 - (Edit > Links) Dialog Box

Close - Closes this dialog box without making any changes.

Update Now - Updates all of the links selected in the Links list.

Open Source - Opens the source file of the selected link in the source application, where you can edit it.

Change Source - Opens the Change Source dialog box, in which you can specify a different source file for the selected link.

Break Link - Breaks the link between the source file and your presentation and changes the object to an unlinked embedded object. After you break a link, it no longer appears in the Links list, and the embedded data in your presentation will no longer be updated if the source file changes.

Automatic - Updates data for the selected link when you open the presentation and every time the source file changes.

Manual - Updates data for the selected link only when you click Update Now.

Step 4 - Updating Linked Objects

Step 5 - Things to Remember

Linking lots of Excel charts into your presentation can increase the file size significantly

If you are linking Excel charts then check that the following option is not ticked. (Tools > Options)(Chart Tab, "Chart sizes with window frame").