When I’m working in Excel, I find that I sometimes want to view information from one worksheet while I’m working on another. Jeff wrote a very useful post about viewing two Excel spreadsheets at once, but this limits how much you can see of each, and may not be ideal. The other day I learned about another option - the Camera tool.
The Camera tool allows you to capture an image of one worksheet and view it in another worksheet. The image of the first worksheet will behave just like any other image inserted into a worksheet. You can move it, resize it, and rotate it (althought I’m not sure that you would want to). You will not be able to change data in the image, but if you go back to the source and change data there, the image in the second worksheet will automatically update. Then, when you’re finished with it, you can just select it and press Backspace or Delete.
The Camera tool can’t be found on the ribbon in 2007, or on the menu or toolbar in 2003, so you’ll have to add it.
Add the Camera Tool in Excel 2007
- Click on the Office button.
- Click on Excel Options in the bottom right corner of the menu.
- In the left column, click on Customize.
- Click the drop down arrow in the Choose commands from box and select Commands Not in the Ribbon.
- Select Camera from the list below.
- Click the Add button to the right.
- Click OK.
The Camera button will now appear on your Quick Access Toolbar.
Add the Camera Tool in Excel 2003
- Go to the Tools menu and select Customize.
- Click on the Commands tab.
- In the Categories list, select Tools.
- Find Camera in the Commands column on the right (you may need to scroll down).
- Click on Camera, drag it to a location on the toolbar, and release it.
Use the Camera tool in Excel 2007 and Excel 2003
- Select the cells you want a snapshot of.
- Click the Camera button on the toolbar (or Quick Access Toolbar).
- Go to the other worksheet where you want to view the snapshot and click to place it there.
5 responses so far
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1 Andy // Sep 30, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Great post! The Camera is an underused but very helpful tool as you’ve demonstrated. It’s great to see it getting some exposure here. The Office community on Facebook could benefit from your knowledge and expertise. Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/office
Cheers,
Andy
MSFT Office Outreach Team
2 Dave // Oct 12, 2009 at 7:18 am
I love this. At work I have to get data from more than one excel sheet and this will speed things up a lot.
Thanks
Dave
3 Holly Green // Oct 16, 2009 at 10:21 am
Andy - Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for letting me know about the Facebook page. I’m excited about all the new features in Office 2010 you’ve been posting on there.
Dave - I’m really glad this will help you! Thanks for the comment. I love to hear back from readers that something will help them.
4 Megs // Nov 10, 2009 at 4:34 am
Sounds great but - when I paste my 2nd shot, the 1st updates to the same, ie I have 2 shots of the same thing!
5 Holly Green // Nov 10, 2009 at 10:47 am
Hi Megs - Good catch. I had not noticed that. It took a lot of camera shots before I realized what the issue was. If your shot is selected when you use the camera tool a second time, then the first shot will change to match the second.
To have two separate shots, unselect the first shot (just click on a random cell somewhere), then select the cells for the second shot, and use the camera tool.
Let me know if this doesn’t work for you.
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