Embed a File (Object, Email, etc.) in Excel & Google Sheets

In this tutorial, you will learn how to embed a file (such as an object, email, document, etc.) in Excel and Google Sheets.

 

 

Embed an Object in a Worksheet

To make content that is created in another program available in Excel, you can use Object Linking and Embedding.

1. In the Ribbon go to Insert > Object (from the Text group).

 

 

2. This will open an Object dialog box. Click on the Create from File tab, and then Browse.

 

 

3. After you click on Browse, a new window will open. Select the file you want to attach. When you are done, click on the Insert button.

 

 

After that, the chosen file will be displayed in your worksheet. After you add a file or icon you can drag and drop it anywhere on the worksheet, or resize it by using the resizing handles.

 

 

Display Embedded Object as an Icon

1. To display the embedded object as an icon in the Ribbon go to Insert > Object (from the Text group).

 

 

2. After the Object Dialog Box is opened, click on the Create from File tab, and then click on Browse.

 

 

3. After the Browse Window opens, choose the file you want to attach and click the Insert button.

 

 

4. The Object Window will appear again. Check Display as icon and click OK button.

 

 

As a result of this, the embedded file will be displayed in the worksheet as an icon.

 

 

NOTE: If you click on the Link to File option, you will embed the link that will lead to the file that exists on your device. If someone else tries to open that link from another device, it won’t be possible.

 

 

NOTE: In this example, the Word Document was inserted, but using the same steps, you can attach an email, MS Graph Chart, MS PowerPoint presentation or slides, and much more. To see everything you can attach, when you open an Object Dialog Box, click on Create New, and below Object type, you will have a drop-down list with all objects you can attach.

 

 

Create a New Embedded Object From Inside Excel

If you don’t want to leave your worksheet and you have to create a new object based on another program, you can do that.

1. In the Ribbon go to Insert > Object (from Text group).

 

 

2. When Object Window opens, (1) click on Create New, from the drop-down menu (2) choose the file you want to embed. If you want to display this object as an icon (3) choose Display as icon option and when you are done (4) click on the OK button.

 

 

3. A Graph Chart opens and in the datasheet, you can change data. All changes will update accordingly.

 

 

When you are done with data entry, as a result, you will have the file icon in your worksheet.

 

 

Embed a File in Google Sheets

Unfortunately, Google Sheets does not have this feature, but you can always paste a link in the sheet to that file and when you click on the link, the file will open in another browser tab.