Link files to a spreadsheet

You can link multiple files (PDFs, Word docs, images, etc.) into a timeline-style Excel spreadsheet, then share the entire thing as one cohesive package.

There are a few ways to go about this depending on what you need, so here's the breakdown:

Links in Excel to Other Files (via OneDrive or SharePoint - Cloud-based files)

Upload all your files (PDFs, Word docs, images, etc.) to OneDrive or SharePoint.

Right-click the file → Copy link.

• Choose “Anyone with the link can view” or similar, depending on what you want.

Go to your Excel file → right-click cell → Link (Ctrl + K) → paste the URL.

Link Example > =HYPERLINK("https://yourlink.com", "Meeting Notes")

This works if….

Opens in browser for other users.

Works across devices and platforms.

Doesn’t break as long as permissions and structure stay intact.

Linking to Other Excel Files in OneDrive/SharePoint (Cloud-Based)

You can link cells or ranges from other Excel files hosted on OneDrive or SharePoint.

In your Excel workbook, you can do:

='https://yourcompany.sharepoint.com/sites/project/Shared Documents/[OtherWorkbook.xlsx]Sheet1'!A2

This works if….

Both files must be saved to OneDrive/SharePoint.

Users must have access to both files.

The other file must be opened or cached for links to update.

Not work if…

External links might not update in Excel Online (web) — full support is best in desktop Excel.

Breaking changes may happen if file names or locations change

Linking to a Folder in SharePoint or OneDrive

Go to the folder in your browser.

Copy the full SharePoint or OneDrive URL.

Paste it in Excel as a hyperlink.

Example:

=HYPERLINK("https://company.sharepoint.com/sites/project/folder", "Open Folder")

This opens the folder in the browser.

Using Excel Online (Web Excel)

Limited by…

External formula references (='[OtherFile.xlsx]Sheet1'!A1) often don’t work or show errors

Embedding files (like in classic Excel) is not supported.

Hyperlinks Links 🙂

Work with links in Excel

HYPERLINK Function

Excel Hyperlink: how to create, change and remove

Summary:

The text was created with the help of AI.

Ultimately, it's not just what the hyperlink should point to that matters, but also where the hyperlink starts and ends. Therefore, you need to know exactly what the project is going to be, as well as the digital environment, such as the storage medium (OneDrive, SharePoint, hard drive, etc.), the operating system, and the file format.

More information, more precise solution proposal!

My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

Hope this will help you.

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