Question: How useful are hyperlinks in Excel?

Excel Tip: After becoming familiar with them, hyperlinks are indispensable when it comes to presenting results electronically, either as part of a live PowerPoint presentation or when sending Excel files by e-mail. In our first example, we have a Contents sheet in a file containing 2 sheets, Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet:

These are the steps to follow:

1. Type Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet:

2. Click on B6 and choose Insert – Links – Hyperlink
3. Click on Place in This Document and ‘Profit & Loss’. Leave the proposed reference A1.
4. Repeat 3. above with ‘Balance Sheet’ on B8

B6 and B8 have now blue colour with underline, signifying a hyperlink:

By clicking anyone of these cells, you are automatically directed to A1 of Profit & Loss or Balance Sheet sheet.

If you want to have a hyperlink to a different file altogether:

5. Click on B10 and choose Insert – Links – Hyperlink
6. Click on Existing File or Web Page, locate the Excel file you are interested in and click on it.
7. Click on Bookmark and then on a specific sheet, leaving the proposed reference A1

Last, but not least, if you want to have a hyperlink to a web page, follow 5. and 6. above and type the web page in Address:

Hyperlinks are editable in many respects, e.g. in order to change the text that is displayed on the actual cell or on the ScreenTip. All you have to do is right clink on the cell containing the link, choose Edit Hyperlink  and change any of the entries/options in the dialog box.

Question: Can we have a hyperlink which takes us to a Word document?

Excel Tip: Certainly - just follow 5. and 6. above, locate the Word file you are interested in and click on it.

Using similar methods, you may create links to Excel in other applications, e.g. which take you from Word to Excel or from PowerPoint to Excel.