How to Take Data from Excel to Word

You’ve done the hard work of crunching the numbers in Excel, and now your masterpiece is ready to feature in a report, presentation, or document. But getting that data from a spreadsheet into a Word document can be surprisingly tricky. This guide will walk you through the different ways to move data and charts from Excel to Word, so you can choose the right method for your needs and ensure your reports always look clean, professional, and accurate.

Why Your Paste Method Matters

Moving data from Excel to Word isn't just a simple copy and paste, the method you choose determines how your data behaves inside the Word document. Does it update automatically when you change the source file? Is it just a static image? Learning the difference between these options will save you countless headaches, especially when you’re working on reports that need regular updates.

Here are the primary methods for transferring your data, from the simplest approach to the most dynamic.

Method 1: Plain Copy and Paste (Static Data)

This is the quick-and-dirty method everyone knows. It’s perfect when you need a simple, one-time transfer for a report that won’t change.

How to Do a Simple Copy and Paste

1. Open your Excel spreadsheet and highlight the cells or the chart you want to move.

2. Copy the selection using Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on a Mac).

3. Switch to your Word document, place your cursor where you want the data to go, and paste it using Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on a Mac).

Understanding Your Paste Options

After you paste, a small "Paste Options" icon will appear. Clicking it reveals several choices that determine how the data is formatted. Here’s what they mean:

• Keep Source Formatting (A): This option tries to make your table or chart in Word look exactly like it did in Excel, preserving fonts, colors, and cell widths as closely as possible. It pastes the data as a Word table.

• Use Destination Styles (B): This option makes the data conform to the default table style you’re using in your Word document. This is helpful for maintaining a consistent look throughout your report.

• Picture (C): This pastes your chart or data as a static image. You can no longer edit the data inside Word, but it's a great way to lock in the formatting and prevent accidental changes. Its appearance is pixel-perfect to what you had in Excel.

• Keep Text Only (D): This option strips away all formatting and pastes just the raw text and numbers from your cells, typically separated by tabs.

When to use this method: Use the simple copy and paste when your report is a one-off project. It's the fastest way to get data into your document without needing a continued connection to the original spreadsheet.

Method 2: Embedding Your Excel Data in Word

Embedding feels like a slightly smarter copy-and-paste. Instead of pasting data as a simple Word table or picture, you are inserting a miniature Excel worksheet directly into your Word document. This lets you use Excel's functionality without having to leave Word.

How to Embed an Excel Object

1. In Excel, copy the data range or chart you need.

2. In Word, go to the spot where you want to add the data.

3. Navigate to the "Home" tab on the ribbon. Instead of clicking the big paste icon, click the small arrow underneath it and select Paste Special.

4. In the dialog box that appears, select Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object from the list.

5. Click OK.

Your data will now appear in Word. If you double-click on it, a full Excel interface will open right within your Word window, allowing you to edit data, adjust formulas, and even modify charts using Excel’s tools. When you click outside the object, it reverts back to looking like a normal table or chart.

Pros of Embedding

• Convenience: You can make edits on the fly using familiar Excel commands without needing to find and open the original source file.

• Self-Contained: The data lives entirely within the Word document, so you don’t need to send the Excel file along with it for someone else to view or make edits to the embedded sheet.

Cons of Embedding

• No Live Updates: Just like a simple paste, an embedded object is a copy of your data. If you update the original Excel file, the embedded object in your Word doc will not change.

• Increases File Size: Embedding what is essentially a small spreadsheet can make your Word document larger, which might be an issue if you're emailing it.

Method 3: Linking Excel to Word for Live Updates

This is the most powerful and professional method, and it's essential for anyone creating recurring reports like weekly sales updates, monthly marketing analytics, or financial statements. Linking creates a direct connection between your Word document and your Excel spreadsheet. When the data in Excel changes, the table or chart in Word updates automatically.

How to Link Your Excel Data or Chart

1. In Excel, copy your desired data range or chart.

2. Switch to your Word document.

3. Go to the "Home" tab, click the arrow below the "Paste" button, and select Paste Special.

4. In the dialog box, on the left side, select the Paste link radio button.

5. On the right, choose your format. For tables, "Formatted Text (RTF)" works well. For charts and more complex tables, choose Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object.

6. Click OK.

Now, whenever you save a change in the original Excel file, the linked item in your Word document will reflect it. Sometimes, you may need to right-click on the chart or table in Word and select "Update Link" to force a refresh.

When Linking is Your Best Friend

Imagine you have a monthly report. Each month you update your central Excel spreadsheet with the latest numbers. If your Word document is linked, you just open it, accept the prompt to update links (or do it manually), and your report is instantly ready with the new month’s data. No more re-copying and pasting everything, which significantly reduces the risk of errors.

Managing and Troubleshooting Your Linked Data

Once you’ve linked files, it’s good to know how to manage those connections.

Manually Updating Your Links

If your data isn't updating automatically, just right-click your table or chart in Word and hit "Update Link". Simple as that.

Navigating File Paths and Broken Links

A link is a file path that points Word to where your Excel spreadsheet is saved. If you move or rename the Excel file, that path breaks. Word won’t be able to find the file and your link will stop working.

If you see an error, you can fix it:

1. Right-click the linked object in Word and go to Linked Worksheet Object > Links.

2. A dialog box will show you all the files linked to your document. Select the broken one.

3. Click the "Change Source" button and navigate to where you moved or saved the Excel file.

4. Once you re-establish the link, your data will update as before.

To avoid this, try to keep source Excel files and your report Word documents in a stable project folder together.

Breaking a Link When You're Done

If you need to finalize a report and make it static, you can break the link. This converts the data into a simple picture, cutting off the connection to the Excel file. In the same Links dialog box, just select your link and click the "Break Link" button.

Final Thoughts

Choosing how to move data from Excel to Word depends entirely on what you want to achieve. A simple copy-and-paste works well for quick, one-off tasks, while embedding gives you Excel's functionality inside Word. For recurring, critical reports where accuracy is everything, linking files is the gold standard, ensuring a single source of truth and saving you from repetitive manual updates.

Even with great tools like Excel's linking feature, the reporting cycle can be a grind. The process still relies on manually gathering data to feed into your spreadsheets in the first place, or you might find yourself managing dozens of linked source files. This is exactly why we created Graphed . We connect directly to your marketing and sales platforms - like Google Analytics, Shopify, Facebook Ads, and Salesforce - and bring all your data into one central hub. From there, you can build real-time, instantly shareable dashboards simply by describing what you want to see, which always stay up to date and eliminate the need for manual reporting entirely.