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. 

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. 
    • 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.

Computer AndroidiPhone & iPad

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 you want to add.

When you add a new chart:

  • It will link to a new Google Sheet.
  • To update the chart, update the numbers in the Google Sheet.Embed tables, charts, & 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 you want to add, then click Select.
  4. Click the chart you want to add.
    • If you don't want the chart linked to the spreadsheet, uncheck "Link to spreadsheet."
  5. 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 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 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 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.