Why Use Microsoft Graph?

Lydia started out using Microsoft Graph because it was there. Basically, people use MSGraph because it is integrated into PowerPoint and seems easier to use. The very limits MSGraph places on data manipulation makes it seem easier to use to the novice user .

In reality, MSGraph is more limited than Excel. It has no multidatasheet capability. It has a limited ability to manipulate and compute data.

Lydia started using MSGraph because it kept some of the data isolated in the PowerPoint presentation. She didn't want the branch managers to be able to edit (and possibly corrupt) the main corporate data sources. What she didn't know was that you can easily insert charts from Excel and then break the links between the data and the graphs.

Using the linking method allows you to do computations and graph creation in Excel but still limit the possibility of data being accidentally changed.

So, How Do I Do It Then?

Let's start in Excel. Lydia needs to build a chart showing the sales trend for the Phoenix Branch for large widgets over the last six months. The data has already been gathered into an Excel spreadsheet for her; she just needs to create her graphs and move them to PowerPoint.

In Excel, she selects the data for her graph and clicks the chart button. She is amazed to find the interface for charts in Excel very similar to MSGraph. After stepping through the wizard, she ends up with a chart which looks like one she is used to seeing in MSGraph. She can either copy and paste the chart directly into the PowerPoint file or she can link to the chart in the Excel file.

To link the chart, Lydia can either paste the data using Edit ’ Paste Special or insert it using Insert ’ Object ’ From File, Link. In both cases, she can insert the chart so it shows as a chart or as an icon on the slide.

Using Edit ’ Paste To Add Items

To paste the chart on a slide, select and copy the chart in Excel. Switch to PowerPoint and paste it using Edit ’ Paste or Edit ’ Paste Special. With Paste Special, several options become available, such as pasting as an Excel chart object or various types of picture formats.

In PowerPoint 2002 or later, a regular paste of the chart brings up a Smart Tag letting you define how to paste it: as a Picture of Chart (smaller file size ) or as the Excel Chart (entire workbook) with all the data included. While this method can save keystrokes, it doesn't give as many options as the Paste Special dialog.

If you do a regular paste of an Excel document in PowerPoint 2000 or earlier, the entire workbook will be embedded in the presentation. This can greatly increase the size of the file.

Using Insert ’ Object To Add Items

Using Insert ’ Object to add content creates one of two kinds of OLE elements: OLE links and OLE embedded programs. Both are ways to get information developed elsewhere into the presentation, but they cause drastically different results to the size of the presentation.

There are three ways to insert objects. You can insert a link to a file that already exists outside of PowerPoint, create a new object using another application from within PowerPoint or insert an object that already exists outside of PowerPoint without creating the link.

Object	How to Create	Behavior	Notes
Link	Insert ’ Object ’ Create From File. Select Link. Browse to File. OR Copy information in other application. In PPT, Edit ’ Paste Special, choose Paste Link.	Allows file editing in either the other application or PPT. File created outside of PPT and remains outside of PPT	Links can be updated manually using Edit ’ Links or automatically at open of file. File can be unlinked easily for distribution of presentation. Smaller PPT file size.
Embed	Insert ’ Object ’ Create New OR Copy information in other application. In PowerPoint, Edit ’ Paste Special. Choose, for example, "Microsoft Word Document Object."	Allows editing only from PPT. There is no separate application file (Word document, Excel workbook, etc.)	No need for additional file to be available to presentation. Can greatly increase PPT file size, as both the file and the server are included.
Embed (existing file)	Insert ’ Object ’ Create From File. Do not select Link.	File exists outside of PPT, but the two are not connected.	This is a cross between the other two methods . An existing file is used to create the object, but the existing file is not linked to the PPT file. Can greatly increase PPT file size, as both the file and the application are included.

When embedding objects without linking them, PowerPoint creates a new copy of the application used to make the object and puts it in the file. If embedding a Word or Excel file, the change in file size is not very large. However, with other applications, it can be very large. If linking the items instead, the item exists outside of PowerPoint, so the presentation file will not grow as much. The effects of OLE Objects on presentation files will be covered in more detail at the end of Chapter 11.