5.15    Integrating excel with word and the Internet  

Primarily there are four ways in which you can share data between Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word. The ways are: (1) Insert an Excel file into Word or (2) Copy and paste Excel worksheet or a chart into a Word document or (3) Embed Excel data or a chart into a Word document or (4) Link Excel data or a chart in a Word document.

In the following section you will learn these techniques one by one.

5.15.1 Inserting an Excel file into a Word document  

To insert an Excel file into a Word document, take up the steps listed below.

1. Open a new or an existing Word document.

2. Click on the File command on the Insert menu.

3. Specify the desired file either by selecting it or specifying it along with the path name.

The worksheet data gets placed into the Microsoft Word document but requires substantial formatting to provide a professional presentation of the data. This is definitely not the efficient way to integrate data and you should look at the remaining three methods more closely.

Copying and Pasting Excel data into a Word document

Use this technique to include Excel data in a Word document and be able to edit the data using the Word editing features. The steps listed below will help you do so:

1. Open the worksheet and select the range A1:H12.

2. Click on the Copy button. The data moves to the clipboard.

3. Open the new or a desired Word document. In case of an old Word document place the insertion point at a desired location.

4. Click on the Past button.
   The worksheet data gets pasted into the Word document. You can edit the data and format the table just as you would do for any Microsoft Word table.

5. Double-click on the pasted data to be able to edit it in the Word table format.

6. For now, close the Microsoft Word document without saving.

7. Open a new Microsoft Word document.

Embedding an Excel worksheet into a Word document

Take up this method when you need to share data between Excel and Word but still be able to edit the data with the Excel menus and toolbars. In this technique you insert the Excel worksheet data into a Word document as an embedded object. Embedding leaves the data in its original Excel format and the data must be edited with Excel features:

Take up the steps listed below to embed Excel data in a Word document.

1. The Excel data copied in the previous section should still be on the clipboard. In order to port it to the Word document click on the Edit menu.

2. Select Paste Special…
   The Paste Special dialog box opens.
   This dialog box is offering six data types, which will enable you to link Excel object, data in a table or pictures.

3. For this example you first check if Paste: button is selected or not. It not, click on it.

4. Next click on the Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object option.

5. Click OK to accept the setting.

In few moments, the Excel worksheet data gets embedded in the Word document. If desired you can reposition the object by dragging it or setting the formats in the Format Object dialog box.
You can now edit the embedded worksheet object by first displaying the Microsoft Excel menu bar, toolbar and the worksheet grid. Remember that when you edit an embedded object, you are changing the data and formatting in the Microsoft Word destination document only. You are not changing the data and formatting in the original Microsoft Excel worksheet.

1.    Double click on the worksheet object.
You will see that Microsoft Excel menu bar and toolbars appear and the data appear in Microsoft Excel worksheet. Have a look at the title bar. It confirms that you are working in Microsoft Word application.

2.    Deselect the embedded worksheet object by clicking anywhere in the document outside the object.

3.    Verify that data in the original Microsoft Excel workbook has not changed.

4.    Switch back to Microsoft Word and close the application without saving.

Linking Excel data to a Word document

There may be a situation where you would need to prepare a what-if analysis by sharing dynamic data i.e. changing worksheet data with a Microsoft Word document. In this process the Microsoft Word document gets updated automatically when the data in Microsoft Excel changes.

When you establish a link between a Microsoft Excel workbook and a Microsoft Word document, the destination file contains only a reference pointer to the source file. The data exists only in the source file. When you edit the linked data, you actually open the source application and file and all editing is done in the source file. When you change data in the source file, the representation of the data in the destination file gets updated.

Linking data between files is a good idea, as you do not need a copy of the data in the destination file. This results in saving of the disk space because the same information is not duplicated in both the source and the destination file. However, it is critical for this setup that the source file must always be available to provide data for the destination file. In case must always be available to provide data for the destination file. In case you move or rename the source file without updating the link in the destination file, error will occur when destination file will look for the linked data

The steps to link Microsoft Excel worksheet to Microsoft Word are fairly simple and are listed below:

1. Open the worksheet. If necessary once again select the area A1 to H12.

2. Click on the Copy button.

3. Switch over to the Microsoft word application window and open the desired document and position at the place where you will like to establish the link.

4. Select Paste Special…

5. On the Paste Special dialog box click on the Paste link: option button.

6. In the AS: list box click on Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object.
    

7. Click on the OK button.
   A linked Microsoft Excel worksheet object appears in the Microsoft Word document.

In the next steps you will edit the linked worksheet data from inside the Microsoft Word document.

1. Double click on the worksheet object.
   In a few moment, the Microsoft Excel application with opens.

2. Switch to Microsoft Word application. See that the changes have come in the worksheet object.

3. Deselect the worksheet object by clicking outside it.

4. If required, save Microsoft Word document by clicking on the Save button or else close the Microsoft Word document.

Creating an Embedded Excel Worksheet Object in a Word Document

Now that you have learnt the mechanics of integrating Microsoft Excel worksheet and Microsoft Word document you would now find lot of occasions when you would like to embed Microsoft Excel worksheet into Microsoft Word. Dwelling further on this, in this section you will learn as to how in a Microsoft Word document you can enter numerical data and then format the data with Microsoft Excel formatting features rather than Microsoft word features. To do this, you can insert a blank Microsoft Excel worksheet object directly into the Microsoft Word document. To do this, you will use the object command on the Insert menu or the Insert menu or the Insert Microsoft Excel Worksheet button on the Standard toolbar. Take up the steps listed below to do so.

1. Open a new Microsoft Word document.
   You will now insert a bland embedded Microsoft Excel worksheet object onto this Microsoft Word document.

2. Click on the Insert Microsoft Excel button on the Standard toolbar. A grid appears in which you can specify the number or rows and columns for the embedded worksheet object by selecting the rows and columns on the grid.
   Next step will help you to build a 4x4 worksheet.

3. Move the mouse pointer on the grid until 4 rows and 4 columns are selected. (4x4 worksheet).

4. Click the last selected cell in the grid.

5. In a few moments embedded Microsoft Excel worksheet object containing one worksheet with four rows and four columns appears.
   Note that although you are working in Microsoft Word, the Microsoft Excel toolbars and menu bar appear, enabling you to use the Microsoft Excel features to edit the object. You can size the object using the mouse. Take up the steps listed below to add more columns:

6. Drag the middle-right sizing handle two positions to the right to display columns E, F and G.
   You can make the appearance of the object center aligned. To do so:

7. Click outside the object to deselect it.

8. Click on the center button on the Formatting toolbar to center the object.

9. Double click on the object to get back the worksheet grid. .
   If you desire, you can add some data and try Microsoft Excel features. In the end, exit the Microsoft Excel applications and open a new Microsoft Word document.

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