Link a chart, table or slides to Google Docs or Slides

When you insert a chart, table or slide to Google Docs or Google Slides, you can link them to existing files. Learn how to add and edit tables that don’t link to Google Sheets.

Important:

  • People with access to your document or presentation will be able to view all linked charts, tables or slides, even if they don't have access to the file containing the original charts, tables or slides.
  • When linked objects are updated, any edits to the objects in the original file will override changes made in the new file. Learn how to update linked objects.
    • Tip: If you make edits to the linked chart, table or slide in your new file, the changes won't be copied to the original file.
  • You can link the same linked object in many different documents or presentations.

Add a new chart to a document or presentation

  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  2. Click Insert and then Chart.
  3. Click the chart type that you want to add.

When you add a new chart:

Embed tables, charts and slides

To keep charts, tables and slides up to date across files, you can embed:

  • Tables and charts in Google Docs and Slides.
  • Slides from one Google Slides presentation in a different one.
  • Slides from Google Slides in Google Docs.
Add a chart from Google Sheets
  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  2. Click Insert and then Chart and then From Sheets.
  3. Click the spreadsheet with the chart that you want to add, then click Select.
  4. Click the chart that you want to add.
  5. If you don't want the chart linked to the spreadsheet, untick 'Link to spreadsheet'.
  6. Click Import.
Add a table from Google Sheets

Tip: Tables with more than 400 cells will paste unlinked into your document. You cannot expand a previously linked table beyond 400 cells.

  1. On your computer, open a sheet in Google Sheets in Google Chrome or Firefox.
  2. Select the cells that you want to put in Docs or Slides.
  3. At the top, click Edit and then Copy.
  4. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  5. Click where you want to put your table and click Edit and then Paste.
  6. Choose 'Link to spreadsheet' or 'Paste unlinked' and click Paste.

 

Insert slides from another presentation
  1. On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides.
  2. Select the slides that you want to embed.
  3. At the top, click Edit and then Copy.
  4. Open a different presentation in Google Slides where you want to insert these slides.
  5. At the left, click the slide where you want to insert them.
  6. At the top, click Edit and then Paste.
  7. Click Link slides.
Add a slide to a document
  1. On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides.
  2. On the left, click the slide that you want to add.
  3. At the top, click Edit and then Copy.
  4. On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
  5. Click where you want to add the slide.
  6. At the top, click Edit and then Paste.
  7. Choose an option, then click Paste.

Edit, update or unlink a chart, table or slides

Edit a chart, table or slide

Open and edit a chart, table or slide

  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  2. Click a chart or table to select it.
  3. At the top-right corner of the chart or table, click Link options Down arrow and then Open source.
  4. You can now change the original file.

Change the cell range in a table

Tip: You cannot expand a linked table beyond 400 cells within your document.

  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  2. Click a table to select it.
  3. Click Link options Down arrow and then Change range.
  4. Type the range that you want, then click OK.
 
Update charts, tables or slides in a document or presentation

Update the data in your chart or table

  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  2. At the top-right corner of the chart, table or slide click Update.

Update the data in multiple charts or tables

  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  2. At the top, click Tools and then Linked objects. A sidebar will open on the right.
  3. At the bottom, click Update all.
Tip: Click Update next to specific objects to update them individually.

If you don't see 'Update' or 'Update all':

  • Your charts, tables or slides may not be linked.
  • Your charts, tables or slides may already be updated.

Format your table to match your spreadsheet

  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  2. Click a table to select it.
  3. At the top-right corner of the chart or table, click Link options Down arrow and then Match spreadsheet data and formatting.
Unlink your chart, table or slides from the original file
  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Google Slides.
  2. Select a chart, table or slides that you want to unlink.
  3. At the top-right corner of the chart or table, click Link options Down arrow and then Unlink Unlink .

Need more help?

Try these next steps:

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