Attaching Excel on the First Slide of Presentation

To attach an Excel file to the first slide of a PowerPoint, use the Insert > Object > Create from File method, checking the "Link" box to keep it updated or "Display as Icon" for a clickable file; alternatively, copy a data range from Excel and use Paste Special (Embed or Link) for dynamic tables, or simply paste as a picture for a static view, all done via the Insert tab in PowerPoint. 

Method 1: Link or Embed the Entire File (as Icon or Preview)

  1. Go to Insert Tab: In PowerPoint, click the Insert tab.
  2. Select Object: In the Text group (or Objects group), click the Object icon (it might look like a small chart/page).
  3. Create from File: In the dialog box, choose Create from file.
  4. Browse: Click Browse, find and select your Excel workbook, then click Insert.
  5. Link or Display as Icon:
    • Check Link to have the slide update if the Excel file changes.
    • Check Display as icon to show a clickable icon instead of the sheet's content.
  6. Click OK: The file (or icon) will appear on your slide.

Method 2: Copy & Paste (for Specific Data)

For a Linked Table (Updates Automatically):

  1. In Excel, copy the desired data range (Ctrl+C).
  2. In PowerPoint, go to the slide, click the arrow under Paste, and choose Paste Special.
  3. Select Paste link, then choose Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object, and click OK. 

For an Embedded Table (Editable in PPT):

  1. In Excel, copy the data range.
  2. In PowerPoint, use Paste Special (as above) or the Paste Options arrow.
  3. Choose an option like Keep Source Formatting & Link Data, Use Destination Styles & Link Data, or simply embed it to edit within PowerPoint. 

For a Static Picture:

  1. Copy the data in Excel.
  2. In PowerPoint, use the Paste Options arrow and select Picture to paste it as an uneditable image.

To attach an Excel file so that it can be opened from the first slide of a PowerPoint presentation, you need to embed it as an object. This method makes the file accessible directly within the presentation itself [1]. 

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

  1. Open your PowerPoint presentation and navigate to the first slide.
  2. Go to the Insert tab on the top ribbon.
  3. In the Text group, click the Object button. This will open the Insert Object dialog box [1, 2].
  4. In the dialog box, select the Create from File option [1, 2].
  5. Click the Browse... button to locate the Excel file on your computer. Select the file and click OK [1, 2].
  6. Once you've selected the file, you have two important optional choices in the Insert Object dialog box:
    • Link (checkbox): Check this box if you want the object in your presentation to update automatically whenever the original Excel file is changed. If you don't check this, the embedded file will be a static copy of the original [1, 2].
    • Display as Icon (checkbox): Check this box if you want the object to appear as an icon (e.g., the Excel icon) instead of a preview of the spreadsheet contents. This is a cleaner look for an attachment [1, 2]. You can also click the Change Icon... button to select a different icon or label [2].
  7. Click OK to embed the file into your slide [1, 2]. 

The Excel file is now embedded as an object on your slide. During the presentation or in normal editing view, you can double-click the icon or the spreadsheet image to open the Excel file for viewing or editing (if you have the appropriate software installed on the computer you are using) [1]. 

To test it, save your presentation and double-click the embedded object. It should open the Excel application.