Pivot tables are a great way to compute figures and arrive at decisions through data. It is a “Pivotal” feature (pun intended) in crunching numbers for your target audience! But, how do you get “Pivot Tables” in PowerPoint? Is that even possible?
To insert a Pivot table into PowerPoint, first select and copy (Ctrl+C) the table in your Excel file. Then paste the pivot table into the specific slide of your PowerPoint presentation. You will need to use the “OLE Action Verbs” option to make the pivot table editable in PowerPoint.
There are several other ways to perform the same function which I have detailed below. Go through them and ace your way through Pivot tables in PowerPoint.
1. Can You Insert a Pivot Table in PowerPoint?
Pivot Tables are a special type of data table that allows you to choose how to view the data. This makes the table easier to understand for everyone in the audience. You cannot directly insert a Pivot Table in Microsoft PowerPoint. However, you can paste the table in your slide from an Excel File.
2. How to Insert a Pivot Table in PowerPoint?
In order to add a pivot table in a PowerPoint slide, you have to first create it in Microsoft Excel. Then all you have to do is follow these 6 steps.
Step-1: Copy the Pivot Table in Excel
In Microsoft Excel, highlight the entire pivot table. Then “Right Click” on it and select the “Copy” option from the right-click menu. Alternatively, you can press the “Ctrl+C” keys on your keyboard to copy the pivot table from Excel.
Step-2: Click on the “Paste Special” option
Now you have to open the PowerPoint file and select the slide where you want to add the pivot table. Then click on the “Paste” option under the clipboard icon in the “Home” tab. In the dropdown menu under the “Paste” option, click on the “Paste Special” option.
Step-3: Click on the “Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object” option
In the “Paste Special” dialog box, click on the “Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object” option. Then click on the “OK” button at the bottom of the dialog box to add the table as an Excel sheet in your slide.
Step-4: Click on the “Animations” tab
The next step is to allow changing data visualization options during the presentation. To do so, select the pivot table pasted on the slide. Then click on the “Animations” tab in the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen.
Step-5: Click on the “OLE Action Verbs” option
In the “Animation” group of the “Animations” tab, click on the down arrow which will expand the animation list available in PowerPoint. Click on the “OLE Action Verbs” option at the bottom of the dropdown list.
Step-6: Click on the “OK” button
In the “Change OLE Action Verb” dialog box, click on the “Edit” tab at the bottom. Then all you have to do is click on the “OK” button at the bottom of the dialog box to make the pivot table editable during the presentation.
3. How to Insert a Pivot Table with Slicer in PowerPoint?
In Microsoft PowerPoint, you cannot directly paste a Pivot table with slicers from Excel. To do so, you have to insert the entire Excel file into your PowerPoint slide. To insert a pivot table with a slicer, follow the 4 steps.
Step-1: Click on the “Insert” tab
In the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen, click on the “Insert” tab. Then click on the “Object” option which is the bottom icon in the “Text” group of the “Insert” menu. This will launch a dialog box.
Step-2: Click on the “Create from file” option
In the “Insert Object” dialog box, click on the “Create from file” option from the left column to insert an existing Excel file from your device to the PowerPoint slide.
Step-3: Click on the “Browse” option
Now you have to click on the “Browse” button in the “Insert Object” dialog box to open the “Browse” dialog box. Select the Excel sheet you want to add to the presentation and click on the “Open” button at the bottom of the “Browse” dialog box.
Step-4: Click on the “OK” button
In the “Insert Object” dialog box, click on the “Link” option to add the hyperlink. Then all you have to do is click on the “OK” button at the bottom of the dialog box to insert the pivot table with slicers.
4. How to Insert Pivot Table in PowerPoint Without Linking the Original File?
In Microsoft PowerPoint, you cannot add any editable table from Microsoft Excel without linking the table to the original file. If you want to add a pivot table without links, you have to paste the table as an image that you cannot edit.
However, you can create a copy of the original file first. Follow the 4 simple steps.
Step-1: Copy the pivot table
The first step is to open the original Excel file containing the Pivot table. Then select the pivot table and “Right Click” on it. Click on the “Copy” option from the right-click menu. Alternatively, you can press the “Ctrl+C” keys on your keyboard to copy the pivot table.
Step-2: Create a new Excel file
The next step is to open the “File Explorer” window on your computer. “Right Click” on the screen and click on the “Microsoft Excel Worksheet” option from the “New” option. This will create a new Excel file.
Step-3: Paste the pivot table to the new Excel file
Now you have to open the new Excel file. “Right Click” inside the worksheet and select the “Paste” option under “Paste Options” in the right-click menu. You can alternatively press the “Ctrl+V” keys on your keyboard to paste the pivot table.
Step-4: Insert the table into the PowerPoint file
The final step is to paste the table to the PowerPoint presentation slide from the new Excel file. Refer to the steps in section 2 to do so. This will paste the pivot table without linking to the original file.
5. How to Edit a Pivot Table in PowerPoint?
To edit a pivot table in Microsoft PowerPoint, “Right Click” on the table. Then click on the “Worksheet Object” option from the right-click menu and select the “Edit” option from the dropdown list beside the “Worksheet Object” option.
This will open the Excel sheet where you can edit the pivot table. Alternatively, you can “Double Click” on the pivot table in the slide to start editing it.
6. How to Unlink Pivot Table in PowerPoint?
In Microsoft PowerPoint, you cannot separately unlink a pivot table on your slide. You have to unlink all objects at once. To unlink all the linked files in PowerPoint, follow the 2 easy steps.
Step-1: Click on the “File” tab
The first step is to click on the “File” tab which is the first option in the menu ribbon located at the top of the screen. In the “File” menu, click on the “Info” option from the sidebar located at the left side of the screen.
Step-2: Click on the “Edit Links to Files” options
In the “Info” screen, scroll down to the bottom. In the right column of the “Info” screen, click on the “Edit Links to Files” option. This will remove the hyperlink from all objects in the PowerPoint presentation file.
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Credit to benzoix (on Freepik) for the featured image of this article (further edited).