Excel objects appear truncated when you paste them in PowerPoint 2002

When you paste or insert a Microsoft Excel object into Microsoft PowerPoint, portions of the Excel object may be cut off. Specifically, the right-most and bottom portions may be missing.

NOTE: When you initially insert the object into PowerPoint, the object may appear correctly; however, it may become truncated the next time you edit the object in PowerPoint.

In addition, when you edit an embedded Excel object under Microsoft Windows NT or Microsoft Windows 2000, the embedded object may become larger, and the right-most and bottom portions may be missing.

This behavior is caused by a design limitation in the size of the Windows metafile that is used to represent an Excel object in PowerPoint. This design prevents overflow in the size of the metafile.

The size of this metafile is more accurately defined in Windows NT and Windows 2000 than in Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98; therefore, objects that were embedded under Windows 95 or Windows 98 may exhibit this behavior when you edit them under Windows NT or Windows 2000.

Method 1: Reduce Font and Cell Sizes

Reduce the font sizes and cell sizes proportionately in Microsoft Excel, so that the object fits within the boundaries of the metafile. Use this method only if the Excel object is only slightly truncated. To use this method, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the truncated object, point to Worksheet Object, and then click Open.
2. Select the entire range of the worksheet that you would like to change.
3. On the Format menu, point to Column, and click Width. Reduce the listed width by 75 percent. Click OK.
4. On the Format menu, point to Row, and click Height. Reduce the listed height by 75 percent. Click OK.
5. On the Format menu, click Cells. Click the Font tab. Reduce the listed font size by 75 percent (round down).
   
   Although the minimum listed font size is 8 points, you can manually type any number as small as 1. However, you may see formatting errors if you make the font size smaller than 8 points.
6. Select the newly formatted section. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
7. Switch to PowerPoint. On the Edit menu, click Paste.

You can now safely delete your original Excel object.

Method 2: Paste the Worksheet in Sections

Paste the Excel worksheet in sections, and then group the sections. Use this method for large Excel worksheets that must be linked to a source file. To do this follow these steps:

1. Right-click the truncated Excel object, point to Worksheet Object, and then click Open.
2. Select the portion of the Excel worksheet that was originally visible in PowerPoint. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
3. Switch to PowerPoint. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
4. Switch to Excel. Select a section of the Excel worksheet that was not displayed in the originally inserted object.
   
   Make sure that the size of your selection does not exceed the first section that you have already copied. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
5. Switch to PowerPoint. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
6. Use the guides to align the two pasted Excel sections, so that they appear to be one seamless worksheet. (If the guides are not visible, click Grid and Guides on the View menu, and make sure that the Display drawing guides on screen check box is selected.)
7. Select both pasted objects by clicking one object, and then holding down SHIFT while you click the other object.
8. On the Draw menu, click Group.
9. Repeat steps 4-8, until you copy the entire worksheet.

Method 3: Paste as a Picture

Paste the Excel object as a picture (enhanced metafile). Microsoft Office XP has an improved drawing layer over earlier versions of Office; therefore, Excel objects that you paste by using the following method do not experience the limitations described in the "Cause" section of this article.

1. In Excel, select the range of cells that you want to copy. On the Edit menu, click Copy.
2. Switch to PowerPoint. On the Edit menu, click Paste Special.
3. In the Paste Special dialog box, click Picture (Enhanced Metafile) under As, and then click OK.

NOTE: The pasted Excel object is a picture, which you cannot edit in Excel.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.