Tips for Effective Graphics Integration
Combining charts from Excel to PowerPoint in the right way can improve the quality of your presentations. Here are some tips to make sure your graphics integration goes well:
1. Save Files in the Same Place
For the Linked Object method, it is important to store the Excel and PowerPoint files in the same location. If an Excel file is moved or renamed, the link between the graph and the data may be lost. So, keep both files in the same folder or use a fixed path to avoid problems.
2. Use Clear File Names
Give your Excel and PowerPoint files a descriptive and easy-to-understand name. A clear name will help in identification and avoid confusion, especially if you are working with a lot of files. For example, use a name like “Sales_report_Q1_2025.xlsx” for an Excel file.
3. Check Links Regularly
Before the presentation, make sure that all chart links are functional and display the most recent data. Go to each slide that contains the graph and check that the data is displayed correctly. If there are any problems, you can fix them before the presentation starts so that your audience doesn’t get confused by the wrong information.
4. Consider the File Size
If presentation file size is an issue, use the Linked Object method instead of Embedded Object. The linked method usually results in a smaller file size because it only stores the link to the original data in Excel, instead of storing all the data in a PowerPoint file. This is especially useful if you have a lot of graphs or large data that needs to be entered.