Linked Excel text boxes

One cool feature in Excel is the ability to link any OfficeArt textbox's value to an

Excel
cell.

Here's how:

1. Launch Excel and find a cell containing some text or a number you want to link to.

   I'll just type my name into cell A1.

   [image]

2. Create something that can hold OfficeArt text. This rectangle autoshape will do just

   fine.

   [image]

   Create

   autoshapes from the Drawing toolbar or go to the Insert menu |

   Picture | Autoshapes, then pick your favorite shape.

3. Click the rectangle to select it.

   [image]

4. Type =A1 in the text strip at the top to link its text to A1, then hit enter.

   It's the same thing you'd type to link one Excel cell to another one.

   [image]

5. The OfficeArt text in the rectangle updates.

   [image]

That's all well and good, but why is this useful in real life?

Say you have a simple data table. You can create a cycle diagram with segments linked

to data in your table.

[diagram before image]

Now, if you change values in your table, the diagram updates automatically.

[diagram after image]