Link to an object:

In Word, we can collect data from other applications (eg Excel, or PowerPoint) by inserting or embedding a link.
This data is called an object.
We use a linked file as the data has to be automatically updated when we make changes to the linked file or, when we take into account, the size of the target file.

In contrast to a linked object, an embedded object is part of the target file. Because an embedded object has no links to the source file, it will not be updated when the data changes.

In this example, I insert a file from Excel.
For clarity purposes, the Word file is the target file, and the Excel file is the source file.

First place the cursor in your document in the place where you want to insert the object.
Click the “Object” button under the “Insert” tab on the ribbon.
Then select the “Object” from the drop-down menu.

This opens the “Object” dialog box.
I want to insert an existing Excel file, so I click on the “Create from File,” (1) tab.
I then click the “Browse” button (2), to navigate to the file that is to be inserted.
I select the file, and click the “OK” button.

The path name of the file, will now be displayed in the “File name:” (3) text box.
I now decide whether I want a link to the file or whether I want to insert it. Select the “Link to file” (4) check box, if you are going to create a link from an Excel file to a Word document.
If we selected the second check box, only an icon is displayed in our document and, when we double click it, the file is opened in the application. But, this is more or less, something to do with the previous lesson, “Creating hyperlinks to other files.”
In this example I select the “Link to file” option.
Then click the OK button (5).
This executes the file entirely in our Word Document.

If you want only a portion of the Excel file to be inserted, do as follows.
Open the Excel file.
In the Excel file, select the section that is to be linked with the Word document.
Click the “Copy” button.
Go to the Word document.
Then click the arrow pointing downwards under the “Paste” button in the ribbon.
From the drop-down menu, select the “Paste Special” option.
This opens the “Paste Special” dialog box:

Select “Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet Object”, and click OK
This executes only the data, from the Excel document, that I have selected.
When we change data in the Excel document, it is automatically updated in the Word document.

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