word2007 link or embed PowerPoint slides

If you want to create dynamic links between the contents of the document and the contents of the Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentation, insert the content as an object. Unlike pasting content, such as by pressing CTRL + V, you can still work with content in the original program when you insert the content as a linked object or embedded object.

If you insert a slide into a document as a PowerPoint object, Microsoft Office Word runs PowerPoint when you double-click the slide, so that you can use the PowerPoint command to process the slides.

If you insert an entire PowerPoint presentation as an object, only one slide is displayed in the document. To display a different slide, double-click the PowerPoint object, and then press Enter to show the slide.

What do you want to do?

Learn the difference between a linked object and an embedded object

Update linked objects

Change a linked object or embedded object

Insert a linked object or embedded object from a PowerPoint presentation

Learn the difference between a linked object and an embedded object

The main difference between a linked object and an embedded object is that after putting the data in the target file, the data is stored in a different location and the data is updated differently.

You can place a link to the object or a copy of the object in the document. In this way, you can insert content from any program that supports linking and embedding objects (object linking and embedding, also known as OLE) technology.

For example, monthly status reports may contain information that is maintained separately in PowerPoint slides. If a report is linked to a slide, the data in the report is updated whenever the source file is updated. If you embed a slide in a report, the report contains a static copy of the data.

Linked objects

When you link to an object, if you modify the source file, the information is updated. The linked data is stored in the source file. The Word file or destination file stores only the location of the source file and displays the linked data. If you are concerned about the size of the file, you can use a linked object.

If you want to include information that is maintained separately, such as data collected by other departments, and you need to keep that information up to date in a Word document, it is also appropriate to use links.

Embedded objects

When you embed a PowerPoint object, if you modify the source PowerPoint file, the information in the Word file does not change accordingly. The embedded object becomes part of the Word file and is no longer part of the source file after it is inserted.

Because the information is fully contained in a Word document, embedding is appropriate when you do not want the information to reflect changes in the source file, or if you do not want the document recipient to consider updating the link information.

Update linked objects

By default, linked objects are automatically updated. This means that Word updates the linked information every time you open a Word file or whenever the source PowerPoint file is open in a Word file. However, you can change the settings of a single linked object so that the linked object is not updated, or only when the document reader chooses to manually update the linked object.

You can also prevent Word from automatically updating links in all open documents. You can treat it as a security measure to prevent files that may be from untrusted sources from being updated on documents.

Important When you open a document that contains a linked object, Word prompts you to update the document with the data in the linked file. If you suspect that the linked file may be from an untrusted source, click No in this message.

In addition, you can permanently break the connection between a linked object and its source PowerPoint file. When a connection is interrupted, you are no longer able to edit the object in the document; it becomes a picture of the PowerPoint content.

To manually update linked objects

1. Click Office button, point to Prepare, and then click Edit Link to file.

2. Click the link that you want to update manually, and then under Update the selected link, click Manual Update. or press CTRL+SHIFT+F7.

Prevent updates to linked objects

1. Click Office button, point to Prepare, and then click Edit Link to file.

2. Click the link for which you want to block updates, and then under Update the selected link, select the Locked check box, or press F11.

Note To unlock the link, click the linked object, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+F11.

Prevent Word from automatically updating links in all documents

1. Click Office button, and then click Word Options ...

2. Click Advanced, and then scroll down to general.

3. Clear the Update automatic link on open check box.

The connection between an interrupted object and its source

1. Click Office button, point to Prepare, and then click Edit Link to file.

2. Click the link you want to disconnect, and then click Break Link. or press CTRL+SHIFT+F9.

Change a linked object or embedded object

1. Right-click the object, and then point to the command on the shortcut menu to work with the object.

The name of the command depends on whether the object is a single slide or an entire presentation, and whether the object is linked or embedded. For example, if the object is a link to the presentation, the command is a linked presentation object, but if the object is an embedded slide, the command is Slide object.

2. Click Open or Open link, depending on whether the object is embedded or linked, and then make the changes that you want.

If it is an embedded object, the change takes effect only in the copy of the object within the document. If it is a linked object, the source file is changed.