Video: Import a chart

Import a chart from Excel into Word or PowerPoint and the chart stays current when the original data is updated.

Import an Excel chart into another app

1. Open the Excel workbook that contains the chart.

2. Right-click the chart, and then select Copy.

3. Open an Office document, and right-click the place where you want to insert the chart.

4. Do one of the following:

   • To copy the chart as a picture, select  Picture.

   • To link to the original Excel chart so that updates to the original data are reflected in the destination file, select  Use Destination Theme & Link Data.

   • To embed the original chart so that you can edit it in place, select  Use Designation Theme & Embed Workbook.

Update data in an imported chart

If the document containing the imported chart is open, changes to the original Excel chart will be immediately reflected in the imported chart. If you update data in the original Excel chart while the document containing the imported chart is closed, refresh the chart data the next time you open it.

1. Select the chart.

2. On the Design tab, select Refresh Data.

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Insert a chart from an Excel spreadsheet into Word

Copy an Excel chart to another Office program

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To import a chart into a Word document, create the chart in Excel…

Then right-click it, and select Copy.

In the target document, right-click the new location.

Select a paste option to embed the chart with either the destination theme or the source formatting…

Or to link the chart with those same formatting options.

To paste and link the chart, select Keep Source Formatting & Link Data."

To include the chart in a PowerPoint presentation, select the same option.

To increase the table size, leave it selected, and then select Format.

Select Lock aspect ratio.

Then, increase the Scale Height percentage and select Enter. Then close the menu.

To position the chart, hover over an edge, and then click, hold, and drag it.

To see chart style options, select Design. Hover over a style to preview it.

When the original Excel chart is updated – for example, to change values — revise the data…

….And the linked chart updates automatically.

When a linked Excel chart is updated, but the other app isn't open …

…to see the changes reflected in the other app, open the app, and select the chart.

Then select Design > Refresh Data. Now the linked chart will reflect changes made in Excel.