Attach files in Excel

Attach files to a message in DataMind Oda in Excel, and Oda reads them for you: a PDF report, a Word document, a slide deck, another workbook or a CSV export. It can also insert the sheets of an attached workbook into the one you have open. This page covers how to attach files, which files and sizes the pane takes, where they are kept, and what Oda refuses to insert. For images and pictures of your workbook, see Images and pictures in Excel.

Attach a file

Click Attach files, the paper clip in the bar at the bottom of the message box, and pick one or more files. You can also drag files onto the pane, which shows Drop files here to attach them, or paste files into the message box.
Each file gets a chip at the top of the message box with its name and size; an image shows a small preview. While the pane checks a file, the chip reads Reading…. A file the pane does not take gets no chip: a line under the chips shows its name and the reason, with × to clear it.
To take a file off, click × on its chip.
Send your message. The files go with it, and the chat shows each one as a tag under your message.

Pasting takes files only when the clipboard holds no text, so pasting cells you copied still pastes their text.
A message waits until its files are read. Refused files are left out when you send.
Pointing at Attach files shows what the pane takes: PDF, CSV, Excel, Word and PowerPoint files and PNG or JPEG images, up to 25 MB each (images 20 MB) and 10 per message. They stay in this browser.

Files the pane takes

File	Names	What Oda reads
PDF	`.pdf`	The text and tables of each page, up to 2,000 pages. A page with little text over a picture, as on a scanned page, is flagged, because its text may be missing.
Word	`.docx`, `.docm`	The text as formatted text with headings and lists, its tables, and the headers and footers.
PowerPoint	`.pptx`, `.potx`, `.pptm`	The text, notes and tables of each slide, in slide order.
Excel	`.xlsx`, `.xltx`, `.xlsm`, `.xltm`, `.xls`	Values and formulas, sheet by sheet and range by range. Except in a `.xls` file, Oda can also read a sheet's frozen panes, merged cells, tables, data validation, conditional formatting, notes, links, column widths and number formats.
CSV	`.csv`, `.tsv`	The values of the rows and columns.
Image	`.png`, `.jpg`, `.jpeg`	The image itself, where the model can see images; see Images and pictures in Excel.

The pane checks what each file holds, not only its name: a file whose contents do not match its name is refused.
Oda does not read .doc and .ppt files. Save them as .docx or .pptx first.
A file protected with a password is refused, or cannot be read. Remove the password, save the file and attach it again.
Files with macros, such as .xlsm or .docm, are read, and Oda says that the file has macros. Oda never runs them.
While Oda reads a file, the step row reads Reading an attached file, then what it read, such as “Report.pdf”: pages 1-5 of 40 or “Budget.xlsx”: Sales!A1:H200. Reading one file can take up to 2 minutes.
Oda treats what a file holds as content to work with, not as instructions to follow.

Limits

Item	Limit
One file	25 MB
One image	20 MB
Files in one message	10
Files kept for one workbook	200 MB
Files kept for every workbook on this computer	1 GB

A Word, PowerPoint or Excel file that unpacks to more than 150 MB is not read, and the step row reads The file holds more than Oda reads at once.

Where your files are kept

Attached files stay on this computer, in the pane's own storage, with the chat you attached them in; in Excel on the web, they stay in your browser. The file is not uploaded to your DataMind server. What Oda reads from it goes to the model with the rest of the chat.
Two identical files share one stored copy.
A file is deleted with the last chat it was attached in, for example when that chat drops off History; see Chats and history in Excel.
Sign out deletes every attached file on this computer, and so does a sign-in by a different DataMind account; see Sign in to Oda in Excel.
Oda reads only the files of the chat you are in. A file attached in another chat, or deleted to make room, cannot be read: the step row reads The file is no longer stored in this browser. Attach it again.

When the space for files is full

When a new file does not fit in the space the pane keeps, the line for that file under the chips reads Oda keeps up to 200 MB of files for this workbook and 1 GB in this browser, and that space is full.

On that line, click Remove the files of the other chats.
Read the warning: The files of the other chats, in this workbook and others, are removed. The chats and their images stay, but Oda can no longer read their other files.
Click Remove them to make room, or Keep them to change nothing. After you remove them, the pane reads the waiting files again.

If the space fills up between attaching and sending, the message is not sent: the same text shows in the chat, your files stay on their chips and your message goes back into the message box.

Insert sheets from an attached workbook

Ask Oda to bring sheets of an attached workbook into the one you have open, for example Insert the Q1 and Q2 sheets from the attached file after Summary. Oda inserts them with their values, formulas, formats, tables and charts, at the start, at the end, or before or after a sheet you name.

Only .xlsx and .xltx workbooks can be inserted. For a .xls file, save it as .xlsx first. From other files, Oda reads the values and writes them with its normal steps.
Excel on the web inserts sheets from files of up to 3.5 MB; other versions of Excel take files of up to 25 MB. For a larger file, Oda reads its values and writes them instead.
Before it inserts anything, Oda checks the whole file.
Excel gives an inserted sheet a new name when the workbook already has a sheet of that name, and Oda tells you the new name.
The step row reads Inserting sheets from a file, then for example Inserted 2 sheets: “Q1”, “Q2”.
Each inserted sheet is a new sheet, so Revert turn cannot undo the turn; delete the sheets or use Ctrl+Z where it works. See Review and undo Oda's changes.

What Oda never inserts

Oda refuses to insert sheets from a workbook that has any of these, in every permission mode:

VBA macros, or the macro-enabled workbook format;
Excel 4.0 macro sheets or Excel 5.0 dialog sheets;
ActiveX controls, or form controls that run macros;
custom ribbon code, or macros that run when the workbook opens or closes;
DDE or OLE links;
formulas that can reach the network, other programs or the file system, the ones Oda never writes itself; see Formulas Oda does not write.

These can run code or reach outside the workbook as soon as Excel opens the sheets. Oda can still read the values of such a file. To insert the sheets, save a copy without them as .xlsx and attach that copy. Oda also never inserts very hidden sheets, which only macros can show again; it can insert the file's other sheets.

When inserting asks first

Insert	Ask before edits	Accept edits	Skip all permissions
All the sheets of a workbook that reaches nothing outside itself	Asks	Runs	Runs
Only some of the file's sheets, as formulas that refer to the sheets left out then refer to the attached file	Asks	Asks	Runs
Sheets that reach outside the workbook: links to other workbooks, data connections, query tables, Power Query queries, pivot tables fed from outside, or embedded objects	Asks	Asks	Runs
A workbook with macros, ActiveX controls, DDE links or the other content above	Refused	Refused	Refused

The card is titled Allow Oda to insert sheets from a file?, or Allow Oda to insert sheets that reach data outside this workbook?, with lines such as Insert 2 sheets from “Budget.xlsx” after the last sheet: “Q1”, “Q2”. When sheets reach outside the workbook, a line lists each target, such as a connection's name and data source, without user names or passwords: The inserted sheets keep reaching outside this workbook, which Excel can refresh or update: …. When you leave sheets out, the card says that formulas referring to them then refer to the attached file. Links in cells to web addresses are counted in Oda's answer, not asked about.

When the pane cannot read files

Oda reads files in a sandbox, apart from the pane; see What depends on where Excel runs. Where this Excel cannot start the sandbox, you can attach images only, and other files are refused with This Excel can attach images only.
When your company turns File uploads off, or you turn off File attachments in the pane's Settings, the pane has no Attach files button and does not take dropped or pasted files; see Settings.

Questions, answered

Which files can I attach?

PDF, Word (.docx), PowerPoint (.pptx), Excel (.xlsx, .xlsm, .xls), CSV and PNG or JPEG images, up to 25 MB each, images up to 20 MB, and 10 per message. See Files the pane takes for every name.

Are my files uploaded to the DataMind server?

No. Attached files stay in the pane's storage on this computer, or in your browser in Excel on the web. What Oda reads from a file goes to the model with the chat, through your DataMind server, like the rest of the conversation.

Why does the message box say the space is full?

The pane keeps up to 200 MB of files for one workbook and 1 GB for all of them. Click Remove the files of the other chats on the file's line, then Remove them. The other chats stay, but Oda can no longer read their files.

Can Oda read a file with macros?

Yes. Oda reads the values, text and formulas of a .xlsm, .docm or .pptm file and tells you it has macros. It never runs them, and it does not insert sheets from such a workbook.

Why did Oda refuse to insert the sheets of my workbook?

The workbook has macros, ActiveX controls, DDE or OLE links, custom ribbon code, Excel 4.0 macro sheets, or formulas Oda never writes, or the sheet you named is very hidden. The step row says which, for example Oda does not insert sheets from files with macros, ActiveX controls or DDE links. Save a copy without them as .xlsx and attach that, or ask Oda to read the values instead.

Why did Oda ask before inserting sheets in Accept edits?

The sheets reach outside the workbook, for example through a data connection or a link to another workbook, or you asked for only some of the file's sheets, so formulas that refer to the others would then refer to the attached file. Both ask in every mode except Skip all permissions, and the card lists what they reach.

Why can I attach only images?

This Excel cannot start the sandbox where Oda reads files, so only images can be attached. Other files are refused with This Excel can attach images only.

Why is there no Attach files button?

File attachments are turned off: by your company, under File uploads in the Oda settings, or by you, under File attachments in the pane's Settings. Turn your setting on, or ask your administrator. When your company turned it off, the setting shows Set by your company.

Can Oda read a password-protected file?

No. The line for such a file in the message box reads A password protects this file. Remove the password, save the file, and attach it again. Remove the password in the program that made the file, save it, and attach it again.

Why can't Oda insert the sheets of a large workbook in Excel on the web?

Excel on the web inserts sheets from files of up to 3.5 MB. Oda reads the values of a larger file and writes them with its normal steps instead, or you can open the file in Excel and copy the sheets.