How to Add, Attach or Insert A File in Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet

Microsoft Office Excel application allows user to add and insert a file into a work sheet, so that the file can be opened and accessed together with the Excel workbook for reference or information purpose. By attaching files directly to Excel sheets, user can minimize the hassle to link interrelated files together which must be read together with the workbook or worksheet.

How to Add or Insert a File in Excel Sheet

1. Open the Excel workbook, and switch to worksheet where user wants to insert the file.
2. Choose and highlight the cell where the icon that represents the file would like to be placed to open the inserted file.
3. In the menu bar or ribbon interface, click Insert.
4. Select Object.
5. A dialog window with two tabs, namely “Create New” and “Create From File” will be opened.
6. For some certain files, such as Acrobat PDF, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, WordPad document, OpenDocument Text and OpenDocument Presentation, Excel allows direct inserting and displaying of the content of the file, or even direct creation or editing of the document. To use this feature, choose “Create New”.

   

   For this tutorial purpose, which deals with attaching of existing files, go to Create from File tab.

7. Click on Browse button and select the file to insert into the worksheet.
8. Two are two options available when adding and inserting a file into Excel:

   Link to File: Insert the contents of the file into the document and create a link to the original source file. Changes to the source file (as long as link is still valid or source file not moved) will be reflected in the Excel workshet.

   Display as icon: Insert an icon that represents the content of the file into Excel workbook.

   Tick the check boxes for the option that user prefers. When no check box is selected, file content will be displayed, and changes to source document will not be reflected in the Excel workbook.

9. Optionally, click on Change Icon to change the captext text and the icon for the inserted file, if “Display as icon” is selected.

   

10. Click OK when done, and the file will be inserted into the Excel sheet, with content displayed or as an icon.

It’s possible to move the file or icon in the worksheet. When double clicking on the file or icon, it will open the file in the default editor or program assigned to view it.