Before putting spreadsheet content into a Word report as an Office object, decide whether the report should follow future spreadsheet changes. A monthly working report and an issued snapshot may need different behaviour.

This discussion concerns linked or embedded objects in desktop Word and Excel on Windows. An ordinary picture of a table is a different kind of content. Test with a small, non-sensitive workbook before using a business report.

Decide where the authoritative data belongs

A linked object keeps its source data in the separate file; Word stores the source location and displays the linked content. The report can be updated when that source changes. That makes the source location and access part of the handover.

An embedded object stores a copy inside the Word file. Later changes to the original workbook do not update that embedded copy. The object can still be edited using its originating application, so embedded does not mean permanently locked or merely an image.

Choose linking when continued connection to the maintained source is intentional. Choose embedding when the report should carry its own independent object. Neither choice decides whether the figures are correct or appropriate to disclose.

Run a small update and handover test

In test copies, change an obvious sample value in the source workbook and inspect how the report behaves. Confirm whether the intended update reaches the Word object. Keep the test separate from real totals and remove it before issuing anything.

For a linked report, document which workbook supplies the data and where the intended user can access it. Do not assume a file path on your computer will work on the recipient’s machine.

For an embedded report, inspect what can be opened inside the object, not only the visible crop on the page. Use a prepared source containing only information appropriate for that recipient.

Reopen the final Word file in its intended environment and check the displayed values and editing behaviour. Keep a clear record of which file remains the source for future revisions.

References: Microsoft: linked and embedded objects.