Quick Question for MS Office Experts

[BMW F22]

When copying and pasting Excel over to PowerPoint, is there any way to allow users to select and copy the data while NOT allowing them to edit the excel chart? Pasting as pictures doesn't allow for selection. Pasting as source format allows people to delete the data. Marking as final doesn't work either. Also tried protecting the sheet and workbook before copying over to PPT and that doesn't work.

Google says there's no way but I figured i should ask with folks on here before giving up. Lol

[Crimson92]

Make the xls read only.

Although that wouldn't help you when it gets to ppt.

You could leverage rights management and remove editing abilities but then they wouldn't be able to copy.

[Red Bread]

A data chart? You can past it as an image, but they won't be able to copy the cells then.

[BMW F22]

Yeah, I'd like to be able to paste as chart to allow highlighting/selection and copying and pasting but I don't want people to edit the data. I'm just curious if that's even at all possible.

[Ickdeep]

After playing around with PowerPoint, I'm afraid there are no "Lock" concept in PowerPoint. You'll just have to trust in them to not edit the slide containing the data.

[eluded]

Yes

[Hawkeye]

Macros are not as reliable in PPT just due to them not being used as much but I am sure there is a way to check for changes in an object and not allow them like there is in Excel. That would be the only way I can think of in PPT and I don't have code for it offhand so it would be up to you.

[Josh (PA)]

Could you paste the chart as an image and the reference cells as table?

[Uber Commuter]

Originally Posted by BMW F22

When copying and pasting Excel over to PowerPoint, is there any way to allow users to select and copy the data while NOT allowing them to edit the excel chart? Pasting as pictures doesn't allow for selection. Pasting as source format allows people to delete the data. Marking as final doesn't work either. Also tried protecting the sheet and workbook before copying over to PPT and that doesn't work.

Google says there's no way but I figured i should ask with folks on here before giving up. Lol

There is, but it takes a little work:

1. Select the data you want in your excel sheet and copy it
2. Go to your powerpoint, right click on it, and select "embed" as the paste option
3. open the data in powerpoint by double clicking on the embedded data
4. Select all the data, right click, and select "format cells"
5. Go to the far right tab labelled "protection" and ensure the "locked" radio button is checked
6. with your embedded data still selected, go to the "review" tab up top (this is currently the excel review, rather than powerpoint review since you have the excel data selected)
7. On this tab, select the icon for "protect sheet"
8. Ensure the top box is checked "protect worksheet and contents of locked cells"; then in the box below check "select locked cells" and "select unlocked cells"
9. Add a password if you like, just be sure it is one you will remember. Without a password, your users will still be able to edit the data if they take the time to unlock the sheet.
10. Save your work.

After following these steps, you or anyone will be able to copy and paste the date out of the embedded excel, but will not be able to edit the original data in the powerpoint without unlocking the sheet first.

[rohitsja]

Originally Posted by BMW F22

When copying and pasting Excel over to PowerPoint, is there any way to allow users to select and copy the data while NOT allowing them to edit the excel chart? Pasting as pictures doesn't allow for selection. Pasting as source format allows people to delete the data. Marking as final doesn't work either. Also tried protecting the sheet and workbook before copying over to PPT and that doesn't work.

Google says there's no way but I figured i should ask with folks on here before giving up. Lol

Originally Posted by BMW F22

When copying and pasting Excel over to PowerPoint, is there any way to allow users to select and copy the data while NOT allowing them to edit the excel chart? Pasting as pictures doesn't allow for selection. Pasting as source format allows people to delete the data. Marking as final doesn't work either. Also tried protecting the sheet and workbook before copying over to PPT and that doesn't work.

Google says there's no way but I figured i should ask with folks on here before giving up. Lol

I tried creating a pivot table for the source data and then locked both the source data sheet and the pivot table sheet - proceeded to copy a random graph from the pivot table sheet (under permissions while locking the pivot table sheet you got to allow users to use the auto filter, pivot chart and edit objects though) and used paste special as keep source formatting and embed workbook option.
Every time I tried to edit the data it prompted that the sheet is locked so I think it works and it still lets you copy data into another application while the users can play around with the data all they want and change the graph as well to their own liking.

[rohitsja]

Originally Posted by rohitsja

I tried creating a pivot table for the source data and then locked both the source data sheet and the pivot table sheet - proceeded to copy a random graph from the pivot table sheet (under permissions while locking the pivot table sheet you got to allow users to use the auto filter, pivot chart and edit objects though) and used paste special as keep source formatting and embed workbook option.
Every time I tried to edit the data it prompted that the sheet is locked so I think it works and it still lets you copy data into another application while the users can play around with the data all they want and change the graph as well to their own liking.

Wait, you dont want the chart to be edited, ignore my answer then. I'll continue to check lol

[rohitsja]

Originally Posted by rohitsja

Wait, you dont want the chart to be edited, ignore my answer then. I'll continue to check lol

Ok, under the permissions for users that I mentioned you need to only check the edit objects and it will work as you intend it to.
PM me if you have questions.

[BMW F22]

Thanks everyone. I will try those methods and report back. I prefer not to link things as they could get messy.

[UncleWede]

Paste as data instead of paste as link? That way you get a copy but no link to the original data, so nobody viewing the ppt can edit the excel sheet.

Caveat: the last time I did it this way, it was Office9x, so YMMV.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by rohitsja

I tried creating a pivot table for the source data and then locked both the source data sheet and the pivot table sheet - proceeded to copy a random graph from the pivot table sheet (under permissions while locking the pivot table sheet you got to allow users to use the auto filter, pivot chart and edit objects though) and used paste special as keep source formatting and embed workbook option.
Every time I tried to edit the data it prompted that the sheet is locked so I think it works and it still lets you copy data into another application while the users can play around with the data all they want and change the graph as well to their own liking.

I'm confused with your method. I want to be able to copy from excel table (not pivot) over to PPT. I tried your way and inserted a pivot on the same sheet and I was still able to delete data after pasting over to PPT.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by Uber Commuter

There is, but it takes a little work:

1. Select the data you want in your excel sheet and copy it
2. Go to your powerpoint, right click on it, and select "embed" as the paste option
3. open the data in powerpoint by double clicking on the embedded data
4. Select all the data, right click, and select "format cells"
5. Go to the far right tab labelled "protection" and ensure the "locked" radio button is checked
6. with your embedded data still selected, go to the "review" tab up top (this is currently the excel review, rather than powerpoint review since you have the excel data selected)
7. On this tab, select the icon for "protect sheet"
8. Ensure the top box is checked "protect worksheet and contents of locked cells"; then in the box below check "select locked cells" and "select unlocked cells"
9. Add a password if you like, just be sure it is one you will remember. Without a password, your users will still be able to edit the data if they take the time to unlock the sheet.
10. Save your work.

After following these steps, you or anyone will be able to copy and paste the date out of the embedded excel, but will not be able to edit the original data in the powerpoint without unlocking the sheet first.

I tried your way and I think this might just work. Only thing is that when I copy and paste, the table is truncated in PPT (when right clicking on mouse and paste). It's fine if I do Alt+ES and then format. This is an issue that I've been having. Not sure how to fix that. I tried a few things already.

[Uber Commuter]

Originally Posted by BMW F22

I tried your way and I think this might just work. Only thing is that when I copy and paste, the table is truncated in PPT (when right clicking on mouse and paste). It's fine if I do Alt+ES and then format. This is an issue that I've been having. Not sure how to fix that. I tried a few things already.

You can adjust the borders of what is "seen" once the excel sheet is embedded. Double click it, when it opens up as excel on the powerpoint, you adjust the borders according to what you want it to actually show. These borders are different than the powerpoint "image" borders which just adjust the size of the object space itself.

Or am I misunderstanding your issue?

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by Uber Commuter

You can adjust the borders of what is "seen" once the excel sheet is embedded. Double click it, when it opens up as excel on the powerpoint, you adjust the borders according to what you want it to actually show. These borders are different than the powerpoint "image" borders which just adjust the size of the object space itself.

Or am I misunderstanding your issue?

I tried that before and it would make the image all distorted. Also, tried your method again and it doesn't allow me to select the data.

Looking at it, i don't think this works as I'm working from a master file and only want to insert a portion of the chart for others to see. When I embed stuff, they can see all the tabs in the file I have (I don't want this).

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

Paste as data instead of paste as link? That way you get a copy but no link to the original data, so nobody viewing the ppt can edit the excel sheet.

Caveat: the last time I did it this way, it was Office9x, so YMMV.

No options for that. At least not that I know of.

[Uber Commuter]

What exactly are you pasting into the ppt? An entire spreadsheet or a selected group of cells within a sheet?

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by Uber Commuter

What exactly are you pasting into the ppt? An entire spreadsheet or a selected group of cells within a sheet?

A group of cells. When I embed you can see all the other tabs in that workbook.

[Uber Commuter]

OK got it. So yeah, you'll need to copy the sheet you want them to see into a new file so they can only see the one. Then locked it will still allow them to copy but not edit.