Tutorial Summary: How to Insert Images Inside Excel Cells and Use Them in Lookups

Objective

This tutorial demonstrates the new Excel feature allowing users to insert images directly inside cells, enabling easier image lookups and more visually appealing dashboards.

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Key Points

1. New Feature Overview

• Insert images inside Excel cells: Enhances visual dashboards and enables image-based lookups.
• Images automatically resize to fit the cell.
• Images in cells can be enlarged (Ctrl + Shift + F5) or right-clicked for details.

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2. How to Insert Images in a Cell

1. Navigate: Go to Insert > Pictures.
2. New Option: Select "Place in Cell".
   • Choose between "This Device" (local files) or "Online Pictures".
3. Batch Insert: Hold Ctrl to select multiple images and insert them all at once.
4. Resize: Adjust row height or column width for better image display.

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3. Creating an Image Table

• Convert the data—including images—into an official Excel table (Ctrl + T).
• Give the table a custom name (e.g., "Managers").
• All typical table functionality (filters, formatting, etc.) remains available.

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4. Image Lookups with Formulas

a. Return Multiple Rows with Images

• Example: List all managers (with images) working on a specific project.
• Formula: Use the FILTER function to spill both names and images based on project criteria.

  =FILTER(Table[Name]:Table[Picture], Table[Project]="Project Name")
  

• Adding entries dynamically updates the output.

b. Insert Online Images

• Use "Online Pictures" to import images from the web directly into cells.

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5. Image as Lookup Value

• Perform lookup based on the image itself.
  • Example: Given a cell containing an image, find the corresponding manager’s name with XLOOKUP.
• Formula:

  =XLOOKUP(LookupImage, Table[Picture], Table[Name])
  

• You can also retrieve multiple data points by expanding the return array (e.g., name and project).

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6. Limitations & Notes

• This feature is currently only available to Excel Insiders; some aspects may not work perfectly yet.
• Images display in the formula bar as "Picture", not as image metadata or file names.

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Conclusion

• The new image-in-cell feature in Excel opens up advanced lookup scenarios and polished dashboards.
• Both returning and using images in lookup formulas are now possible.
• The feature is still under development but already offers significant productivity gains.

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Call to Action

• If you found the tutorial helpful, remember to like and subscribe for more Excel tips!

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End of Notes