Did you know that when copying from Excel to PowerPoint, using the default Copy Paste commands from the keyboard (Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V) gives you a linked Excel graph? If you’re copying a graph from Excel to PowerPoint, using the copy and paste commands doesn’t just copy the graph, it also links the numbers that make the graph.

Linked Graphs and What They Are

Any changes to the original are reflected in the copy since these files are linked. We explain how you can prevent this from happening in our post about What Happens When You Copy a Chart From Excel to PowerPoint (how to prevent a data leak).

Accessing Data From a Linked Graph

The advantage of having a linked graph is that you’re able to access updated data right from PowerPoint. However, this won’t work if you don’t have access to the spreadsheet for some reason. This could happen if the connection between the two files is broken.

Reasons For Not Being Able to Access The Linked Excel Data

If the file containing your linked Excel sheet is shared on the network, hosted online, or simply on another computer where the PowerPoint file was originally made; then you might not be able to access it and the link is broken. The linked file might not be available for some reason.

Is It Possible To Access Data From a Linked Graph Whose File is Not Available? 

First of all, if data is hidden or otherwise not available, then you will not be able to extract data from a graph in any way. However, if the graph was made a certain this way then it will be easier to get data from it. You can actually add a table of data under the graph in PowerPoint.

Linked Excel -- Graph with Table - FreePowerPointTemplates

How To Make Graph in Office 2010 with an Attached Table?

Make a graph in Excel and then paste it in PowerPoint by using the Copy and Paste commands as we have mentioned earlier. Normally, you would not be able to get data from such a chart especially if it is an image format. However, you can make a graph with an attached table underneath to counter this problem.

First of all, make a graph in Excel as you normally would. Highlight data in a table, click Insert, Chart. Choose your preferred chart and click OK.

Now, click the chart again to select it. A few options should appear on the upper-right side of the chart.

Click the + button and click Data Labels

Linked Excel -- Graph with Table - 2 - FreePowerPointTemplates

And Thats It! Now, you should be able to copy data from the graph of this chart even if it is protected.