If you want to link excel files to another excel file, you have several options depending on your needs. In this blog post, we will show you how to create different types of links in Excel and how to use them effectively.
What is a link in Excel?
A link in Excel is a reference to a cell or range of cells in another workbook, or to a defined name in another workbook. A link can also be a hyperlink to a web page or an email address. Links allow you to access and update data from different sources without having to copy and paste them manually.
How to create a link to an existing file or web page
One of the simplest ways to create a link in Excel is to insert a hyperlink to an existing file or web page. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Select the cell where you want to insert the link.
2. Go to the Insert tab and click on Link in the Links group. Alternatively, you can right-click on the cell and choose Link from the context menu.
3. In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, choose Existing File or Web Page from the Link to section on the left.
4. Browse to the file or web page that you want to link to or type its address in the Address box.
5. Optionally, you can change the text or graphic that will appear as the link in the Text to display box and add a ScreenTip that will show when you hover over the link in the ScreenTip box.
6. Click OK to create the link.
How to create a link to a specific location in another workbook
Another way to create a link in Excel is to refer to a specific cell or range of cells in another workbook. This is useful when you want to use data from another workbook in your calculations or analysis. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Select the cell where you want to insert the link.
2. Type an equal sign (=) to start a formula.
3. Switch to the workbook that contains the cell or range that you want to link to, and select it. You can also type its address manually, but make sure you include the workbook name and sheet name in square brackets, followed by an exclamation point. For example, =[Book1.xlsx]Sheet1!A1
4. Press Enter to create the link.
How to create a custom link by using the HYPERLINK function
A third way to create a link in Excel is to use the HYPERLINK function, which allows you to create dynamic links based on formulas. The HYPERLINK function has two arguments: link_location and friendly_name. The link_location argument specifies the path or address of the file, web page, or email that you want to link to. The friendly_name argument specifies the text or graphic that will appear as the link. To use this function, follow these steps:
1. Select the cell where you want to insert the link.
2. Type =HYPERLINK( followed by the link_location argument. You can use a text string enclosed in quotation marks, such as "https://www.microsoft.com", or a cell reference that contains the address, such as A1.
Format: =HYPERLINK("http://example.microsoft.com/report/budget report.xlsx", "Click for report")
3. Type a comma (,) followed by the friendly_name argument. You can use a text string enclosed in quotation marks, such as "Microsoft website", or a cell reference that contains the text or graphic, such as B1.
4. Type a closing parenthesis ) and press Enter to create the link.
How to edit or delete a link in Excel
If you want to change or remove a link in Excel, you can do so by following these steps:
1. Select the cell that contains the link that you want to edit or delete.
2. Go to the Insert tab and click on Link in the Links group. Alternatively, you can right-click on the cell and choose Edit Link from the context menu.
3. In the Edit Hyperlink dialog box, you can modify the link location, text, or screen tip as needed, or click on Remove Link to delete it.
4. Click OK to save your changes or close the dialog box.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we have shown you how to link excel files to another excel file using different methods and functions. Links are useful tools that can help you access and update data from various sources without having to copy and paste them manually. We hope you have found this post informative and helpful.
