How to Update Linked Excel Objects in PowerPoint on SharePoint
Question details
The user needs a solution for an error that occurs when updating linked Excel objects in a PowerPoint file hosted on SharePoint.
- Product
- Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Updating Excel links inside a PowerPoint presentation when both files are stored on SharePoint and opened in their desktop applications.
- Observed behavior
- An error occurs when prompting PowerPoint to update links if the source Excel file is also open. If the Excel file is closed, the links update successfully, but the process takes a very long time for files with many links.
Ensure you have the desktop versions of Excel and PowerPoint installed, and verify that you have edit permissions for both files on your SharePoint site.
Recreate and Update Links via Desktop Applications
The most reliable way to fix linked-file errors on SharePoint is to open both files in their desktop apps and recreate the object links using the Paste Special feature.
SharePoint synchronization can sometimes interfere with object linking if the links were created improperly or if web versions of the apps were used. Recreating the link directly in the desktop environment establishes a stable connection.
Open both the source Excel file and the destination PowerPoint presentation directly from SharePoint using the desktop applications.
In the Excel file, select the cells or objects you want to link and copy them.
Navigate to the PowerPoint slide, click the arrow below the 'Paste' button on the Home tab, and select 'Paste Special'.
Select the 'Paste Link' option, choose 'Microsoft Excel Object' from the list, and click OK to insert the link.
Close both the Excel and PowerPoint files completely. Reopen the PowerPoint file from SharePoint and click 'Update Links' when prompted to verify the error is resolved.
Update Links with Only PowerPoint Open
If recreating the links does not immediately solve the simultaneous-open error, you can force the update by keeping the source file closed.
Easily Link Data Between Spreadsheets and Presentations in WPS Office
Avoid complex cloud-syncing errors by using WPS Office. You can easily link spreadsheet data directly into your presentations quickly and efficiently, all within a single tabbed workspace.
- 1. Open WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open both your spreadsheet and presentation files within the same tabbed workspace.
- 2. Copy Spreadsheet Data: Highlight the cells or charts you want to link in WPS Spreadsheet and press Ctrl+C to copy them.
- 3. Paste Link in Presentation: Navigate to your WPS Presentation slide, go to the Home tab, click the Paste dropdown, and select Paste Special.
- 4. Select Paste Link: Choose the 'Paste Link' option and select 'WPS Spreadsheet Object', then click OK to insert the linked data.
- 5. Update Links Easily: Whenever you reopen the presentation, simply click 'Update Links' to refresh the data instantly without cloud-sync conflicts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I get an error when updating Excel links in PowerPoint on SharePoint?
This typically occurs due to background synchronization conflicts when both the source Excel file and the destination PowerPoint file are opened simultaneously from a cloud location like SharePoint.
How do I correctly paste a linked Excel object into PowerPoint?
Copy the desired data in Excel, switch to PowerPoint, click the dropdown arrow under the Paste button, choose 'Paste Special', select the 'Paste Link' radio button, and then select 'Microsoft Excel Object'.
Why does it take so long to update links when the Excel file is closed?
When the source Excel file is closed, PowerPoint must establish a temporary background connection to the SharePoint server to fetch the data for every individual link, which drastically increases the processing time compared to pulling data from an already open file.
Does this linked-file error happen with locally saved files?
Typically, no. This specific error is usually isolated to files hosted on cloud-syncing platforms like SharePoint or OneDrive due to file-locking and cloud synchronization mechanisms.
