OfficeReports Link links data from Excel ranges to native PowerPoint tables, charts and shapes. This can be done in such a way, so backgroundcolors from Excel cells are shown as logos and icons in PowerPoint. The Excel ranges can have a variable number of rows and/or columns, and OfficeReports is integrated with Excels and PowerPoints Macro engine.

Microsoft Office already contains functionality to link data from Excel to PowerPoint, so why should you use OfficeReports?

Microsoft Office contains functionality to link data from Excel to PowerPoint. It is called OLE (Object Linking and Embedding). Using this technology you can link to Excel charts and ranges in a PowerPoint presentation, in a similar way as OfficeReports Link. When the data in Excel changes, the tables and charts in the presentation can be updated. To edit the linked tables and charts you have to double-click them, which will load Excel's user interface and you will be able to edit the Excel chart or range from within PowerPoint.

OfficeReports Link works different. It simply uses native PowerPoint tables, charts and shapes, and copies whatever information the user has defined (like data, font, background color) from the defined Excel range to the PowerPoint table, chart or shape.

Therefore, OfficeReports Link has the following advantages over Microsoft OLE:
OfficeReports Link can link Excel data to native PowerPoint shapes
Linked charts and tables are ordinary native PowerPoint charts and tables, and can be edited at all time. Even when the linked workbook is not there anymore!
Charts and tables can be designed in PowerPoint, and linked to Excel afterwards. Using OLE, the charts and tables need to be created by using OLE.
OfficeReports Link enables "conditional formatting" for native PowerPoint tables, charts and shapes.