XL: Breaking Link Between Chart and Worksheet

ID: Q62377

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
Microsoft Excel 97 SR-1 for Windows
Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 5.x, 7.0, 7.0a
Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0
Microsoft Excel for OS/2, versions 2.2 and 3.0

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, a chart can be "unlinked" from its corresponding worksheet by converting the references in the series formula to values.

To convert all the references in the series formula to values, follow these steps:

Make sure both documents are open.

Click on the series to convert.

Activate the formula bar by clicking in it.

Hold down the COMMAND key (in Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh) or the CTRL key (in Microsoft Excel for Windows or OS/2), and press the EQUAL SIGN key (=).

Note that pressing F9 is equivalent to using these key combinations.

Press RETURN to enter the new unlinked formula.

If the chart has more than one series, follow these steps for each series.

To convert only some of the references to their values, select only those references in the series formula and press COMMAND+= or CONTROL+= (as in step 4 above).

NOTE: Replacing the references in the series formula with actual values may cause the length of the series formula to increase dramatically. If the length overflows the formula limit in Microsoft Excel, you will receive the "Error in formula" error message.

MORE INFORMATION

Converting references to values prevents the message "Update references to unopened documents?" from appearing when you reopen a chart without the worksheet open. It will also enable the information on the worksheet to be edited without changing previously created graphs.

If you are using Microsoft Excel 97, you can use the Delete Links Wizard to remove links in your workbook.

For additional information about the Delete Links Wizard, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q188449 : XL97: Delete Links Wizard Available

REFERENCES

"User's Guide," version 4.0, pages 445-450

"User's Guide," version 3.0 for the Macintosh, pages 441-448

"User's Guide," version 3.0 for Windows, page 441-449

"Reference," version 2.2 for the Macintosh, pages 575-580

Additional query words: 2.20 2.21 break

Keywords : xlchart
Version : WINDOWS:2.0,3.0,4.0,5.0,7.0,7.0a,97; MACINTOSH:2.0,3.0,4.0,98; os/2:2.2,3.0
Platform : MACINTOSH OS/2 WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto kbinfo