how to make an excel spreadsheet into a powerpoint presentation

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How to Convert Excel to PowerPoint

Last Updated: September 20, 2024

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 250,243 times. Learn more...

If you want to take data from an Excel spreadsheet and put it into a PowerPoint presentation, you can do so with built-in controls available in both programs. To paste Excel data into PowerPoint, select the data and copy it. Select a slide in PowerPoint, and then select Paste. This wikiHow shows you how to put Excel data into PowerPoint slides using these features.

Transferring Excel Data to PowerPoint

To convert Excel data into PowerPoint, highlight the cells you want to copy, select the Home tab, and then click Copy . Open PowerPoint and click Paste . You can also link to an Excel document by using the "Object" tool in PowerPoint. Select Create from File , and then select your Excel file.

For popular FAQs on converting Excel to PowerPoint, jump to more common questions .

Copying and Pasting Excel Data into PowerPoint

Step 1 Open an Excel file you want to use.

Inserting an Excel Object into PowerPoint

Common Questions: Converting Excel to PPT

Can I copy from Excel to PowerPoint and keep formatting?

When you paste Excel data into PowerPoint, you can choose to keep the original formatting or change it to match PowerPoint's. With the Paste menu open, select the icon for the option you want.

How do I transfer an Excel chart to PowerPoint?

Click the chart you want to transfer and click Ctrl + C to copy it. Select a slide in PowerPoint, and then press Ctrl + V to paste it.

Can I link an Excel file in PowerPoint?

You can link an Excel file in PowerPoint by using the "Object" tool. Select it from the toolbar. Select Create from file , select the Excel file, and then select OK .

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How to Insert an Excel Spreadsheet Into Powerpoint: A Step-by-Step Guide

Inserting an Excel spreadsheet into PowerPoint is a straightforward process. All you need to do is open your PowerPoint presentation, click on the slide where you want the spreadsheet to appear, and then use the Insert Object function to add the Excel file. Once you’ve completed these steps, your Excel spreadsheet will be embedded into your PowerPoint slide, ready for you to present.

Step by Step Tutorial: How to Insert an Excel Spreadsheet Into PowerPoint

Before we dive into the steps, let’s understand what we’re aiming to achieve. By inserting an Excel spreadsheet into PowerPoint, we’re looking to display data in a more visual and interactive manner during a presentation. It could be a sales report, a project timeline, or any kind of data that you’ve crunched in Excel and now want to share with your audience in PowerPoint.

Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint Presentation

Open the PowerPoint presentation where you want to insert the Excel spreadsheet.

Make sure you’re on the right slide where you want to insert the Excel spreadsheet. If you haven’t created a slide yet, you can easily add a new one by clicking on “New Slide” in the Home tab.

Step 2: Click the Insert Tab

Navigate to the Insert tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon.

The Insert tab is where all the magic happens when it comes to adding different types of content to your PowerPoint slides, including tables, images, and, of course, Excel spreadsheets.

Step 3: Click on Object in the Text Group

In the Text group, click on Object.

When you click on Object, a dialog box will appear, giving you the option to insert various types of content. For our purposes, we’re interested in inserting an object from a file—specifically, an Excel file.

Step 4: Choose ‘Create from file’ and Browse for Your Excel File

Select ‘Create from file’ and then click on ‘Browse’ to find the Excel file you want to insert.

Navigating to your Excel file might take a bit of digging, especially if you’ve got a lot of folders and files to sift through. But once you find the file, select it, and click ‘OK’, you’re almost done.

Step 5: Click OK to Insert the Spreadsheet

After selecting the file, click OK, and your Excel spreadsheet will be inserted into your PowerPoint slide.

Your spreadsheet won’t just be a static image; it’ll be a fully functional Excel sheet. This means you can double-click on it to make changes, and those changes will be reflected in the PowerPoint presentation.

After completing these steps, your Excel spreadsheet will be part of your PowerPoint slide. You can resize it and move it around to fit your layout. The beauty of this is that you can interact with the spreadsheet right from PowerPoint, which can be really useful if you need to make last-minute changes or highlight certain data during your presentation.

Tips: How to Insert an Excel Spreadsheet Into PowerPoint

Always save your Excel file before inserting it into PowerPoint to ensure all changes are up-to-date.
If your Excel file is large, consider linking to it instead of embedding it to avoid making your PowerPoint file too heavy.
Resize the Excel object in PowerPoint to ensure that the text is readable and the data is visible.
Use the ‘Format Object’ options in PowerPoint to add a border or shadow to your Excel spreadsheet, making it stand out on the slide.
Remember that if you update the original Excel file, you will need to reinsert it into PowerPoint for the changes to take effect unless you’ve linked to the file.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i edit an excel spreadsheet after inserting it into powerpoint.

You can double-click on the inserted Excel spreadsheet, and it will open in Excel for editing. Once you save the changes in Excel, they will be updated in PowerPoint.

Can I link to an Excel spreadsheet instead of embedding it?

Yes, when inserting the Excel file, choose ‘Link’ instead of ‘Insert’, which will create a link to the file instead of embedding it. This way, any updates to the Excel file will automatically reflect in PowerPoint.

What if I only want to insert a part of the Excel spreadsheet?

You can copy the specific range of cells in Excel that you want to display and then paste it into PowerPoint as an embedded object.

Can I insert multiple Excel spreadsheets into one PowerPoint slide?

You can, but it might make the slide look cluttered. It’s best to insert one spreadsheet per slide for clarity.

Will my Excel formulas work in PowerPoint?

The formulas in your Excel spreadsheet will remain functional when you embed the spreadsheet into PowerPoint. However, if you paste the cells as an image, the formulas will not be active.

Open your PowerPoint presentation and select the slide for insertion.
Click the Insert tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon.
Click on Object in the Text group.
Choose ‘Create from file’ and Browse for your Excel file.
Click OK to insert the spreadsheet.

Inserting an Excel spreadsheet into a PowerPoint presentation can add a whole new level of detail and professionalism to your work. Whether you’re presenting financial results, project timelines, or any other data-heavy information, having the ability to display and interact with Excel data directly in PowerPoint is a game-changer. It ensures that your audience can see the exact figures and calculations that you’re discussing, which can help to clarify points and answer questions on the spot.

Just remember to keep your slides uncluttered, make sure any inserted data is relevant to your presentation, and always double-check that the data you’re showing is accurate and up-to-date. With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to delivering a powerful and informative presentation that leverages the best of both Excel and PowerPoint.

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.

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Automatically Create PowerPoint Slides from Excel (3 Easy Ways)

The following dataset has Names and Areas of sales representatives. We are going to show the Excel data in PowerPoint slides.

automatically create powerpoint slides from excel

Method 1 – Automatically Create Slides Using the Insert Command in PowerPoint

Launch PowerPoint.
Select the Insert tab.
Click on Text and select the Object option.

Automatically Create Slides Using Insert Command in PowerPoint

An Insert dialog box will pop up. Click on Create from file .
Click on Browse to find the Excel document you want to add to your slides.

how to make an excel spreadsheet into a powerpoint presentation

The Insert Object dialog box pops up again. Check the Link box and click OK .

Read More: How to Insert an Excel File into PowerPoint as an Icon

Method 2 – Use Paste Special to Generate Slides from Excel

Open Excel’s saved worksheet to insert data.

Apply Paste Special Feature to Generate Slides from Excel

Select the dataset you want to copy.
Click on Copy or press Ctrl + C.
Open PowerPoint and click on the slide where you wish to connect the Excel data.
Click Paste or right-click and select Paste Special .

A new dialog box appears. Choose Paste link.
Select As Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object and hit OK .

This will return the table inside a slide.

Read More: How to Copy Chart from Excel to PowerPoint Without Link

Method 3 – Create PowerPoint Slides from Excel via VBA

To use the Excel VBA Code, you must add the Microsoft PowerPoint 16.0 Object Library.

Select the active sheet of the workbook.

Create PowerPoint Slides from Excel Through VBA

Navigate to Developer and then select Visual Basic .
Select Insert and click on Module .

Put the following code into the Module box. Change the cell range in the code as needed.

Click the Run button or press F5 .
This is where the output will go.

Hover over Tools .
Click on References .

Hover over Tools and you will see the References option

The References – VBAProject window will open.
Check Microsoft PowerPoint 16.0 Object Library.
Hit OK to resolve the error.

In the References - VBAProject window, check Microsoft PowerPoint 16.0 Object Library and you will see the OK button in the right top corner

Download the Practice Workbook

How to Perform Excel to PowerPoint Automation
How to Link Excel Sheets to PowerPoint
How to Update Charts in PowerPoint from Excel Automatically
How to Embed an Excel File in PowerPoint
[Fixed!] Problems with Embedded Excel Files in PowerPoint
[Solved] Embedded Excel in PowerPoint Not Showing All Data
How to Link Powerpoint to Excel for Dynamic Data Updates
How to Insert Excel Chart into PowerPoint
How to Copy Table from Excel to Powerpoint with Formatting

<< Go Back to Excel to PowerPoint | Export Data from Excel | Learn Excel

What is ExcelDemy?

Tags: Excel to PowerPoint

Lutfor Rahman Shimanto, BSc, Information Technology, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, has worked with the ExcelDemy project for over a year. He has written 50+ articles and provided solutions of 100+ comments for ExcelDemy. Currently, he works as an Excel & VBA Developer and provides support and solutions in the ExcelDemy Forum. He has solved 100+ ExcelDemy Forum problems. His work and learning interests are in developing various Excel & VBA and Desktop applications. Outside of work, he enjoys Chess... Read Full Bio

Hi and thanks for your post data;

When I use your VBA code I got this error:”user defined type not defined” How can I fix it?

Best Regards

Thanks for reaching out and posting your comment. You are right about the raised error. If you do not add the Microsoft PowerPoint 16.0 Object Library , you must see the User-Defined Type not defined error.

To solve the issue, follow these: Step 1 : Hover over Tools => You will see the References option.

Step 2 : Click on References => In the References – VBAProject window, check Microsoft PowerPoint 16.0 Object Library , and you will see the OK button in the top right corner.

Step 3 : After clicking OK , you will be able to run the code like the following GIF .

Hopefully, the solution will help you overcome your situation. Good luck.

Regards Lutfor Rahman Shimanto