Add a photo to an Excel spreadsheet.

[Martin Boekers]

Just wondering while I am fiddling with mail merges. Is theer a way to add a photo
to a line in a spreadsheet that can be mail merged? I am working on having a photo
with inventory cards where I store them. I will be adding some new workers in the
upcoming months and looking for a way to speed up their transition. I stock over
350 unique items, so I think this may help. Also it will help on making a photo catalog.


Thanks!

Marty

[Kim Vellore]

Marty,
Just last week I was working on something similar, I was trying to add a picture to a cell in Excel.. and it is not possible. There are addons that make it happen but not excel by itself. You can create a table in power point or word and add a picture to a cell but if you import it to Excel the picture just becomes a floating object.
Sorry this might just be a partial answer to your question since I am not sure what spreadsheet you are using.

Kim

[Martin Boekers]

Thanks, I am using Excel 2007 for my inventory. I was hoping...:(

[Peter Meacham]

I was just able to add a photo to an Excel spreadsheet by clicking on the "Insert" pull down menu, clicking on "Picture", and finding/selecting the photo from my files.

You can right click on the photo after it is inserted and adjust the size. You can also adjust size with the sizing nodes located around the perimeter of the photo.

Pete

[Ross Moshinsky]

Microsoft Access is what you'd want to use. Web database is really where you want to be, but I've yet to find anything user friendly (ie stupid friendly). You can do stuff with open source eCommerce solutions, but it's a bit awkward.

I'm sure if you did some googling, you could find some freeware Inventory software that will blow Excel out of the water.

[Lee DeRaud]

See if this does what you're looking for:
http://excel-image-assistant.com/

[Mike Null]

Marty

I agree with Pete. I use Excel 2007 and can insert pictures quite easily.

[Martin Boekers]

Marty

I agree with Pete. I use Excel 2007 and can insert pictures quite easily.

What I am looking for is not only insert a picture, but to add it to a mail merge
so I can bring up inventory descripitions (pricing, vendor, location etc) and have
the sized photo with it. This will be used to create catalog pages, "photo"
inventory labels, so it makes counting inventory easier for those not familiar
with the full product line. I would have a label with pertanent info as well as
a photo. Cutting down on errors and making inventory counts quicker and more accurate.
If I can work off a standard spreadsheet then it's easy to update prices and new products.
I am probably asking a lot from Excel :)

[Mike Null]

You also just went beyond my pay grade.

[Lee DeRaud]

I agree with Pete. I use Excel 2007 and can insert pictures quite easily.Problem is, the inserted picture is attached to the sheet, not any individual cell. (Hint: delete the column or row the picture appears to be in...the picture will remain.)

Alternatively, you can insert a hyperlink to an image file (which in itself can be very useful), but there's no way in standard Excel to make the image appear rather than the hyperlink text.

[Gary Hair]

What I am looking for is not only insert a picture, but to add it to a mail merge...

I am probably asking a lot from Excel :)

Yes, you are. You are trying to create a repository of data that you can use to create reports - what you need is a database, not a spreadsheet. It would be fairly simple to create an Access database and use any number of front-end programs to interface and create reports. Or, you could buy something off the shelf that is made for what you need. I did a quick search using "small business catalog and inventory software" and this came up within the first page: http://www.agiliron.com/products/inventory-management.html

I don't know anything about it, cost, ease of use, etc., but there is a lot out there that will accomplish what you need.

Gary

[Doug Novic]

What you need is MS Access database. It does exactly what you want. I have done it many times and always use it with mail merge. Although it is not my favorite database program it works great with mail merge and you can select recipients as well.

[Martin Boekers]

What you need is MS Access database. It does exactly what you want. I have done it many times and always use it with mail merge. Although it is not my favorite database program it works great with mail merge and you can select recipients as well.

Can I use an existing Excel Speadsheet and export it to Access? Or to I have to build it seperatly? If
I have to build it seperatly can I then build the spead sheet from it?

[Mike Null]

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access-help/import-export-and-link-data-between-access-and-excel-HP001095095.aspx

[Ross Moshinsky]

You can do what you want in Excel. Access will do it better, but Access is a huge PITA. I have a vendor database where I have all the items from JDS, PDU, Marco, and Freeman in it and it gives me all sorts of useful information. I've tried a couple of times to take that information and build an "item builder" form and failed every time. Setting up relationships is such a pain in Access it's incredible. You really need to know the backwards nature of Access to be successful.

Excel you can do whatever you want. It's just not built for it. Everything you'll want to do is going to be a work around. You're going to end up with a huge Workbook which will be borderline unmanageable probably but it will get the job done.

I wanted to take my Access project to the next level and offer it to other trophy/awards dealers but I've yet to find a database guy I can trust.