Efficient method for opening and manipulating embedded OpenDocument Text File in Excel

Question

I have an Excel Book for managing my customers information. It has a structure similar to this:

The last column (Details) has an embed object (OpenDocument Text), which I use to put arbitrary information. If I select the object and press Enter it will go to edit mode; however to Open it, I need to Right Click and select Open under Document Object (which is inefficient).

What I'm looking for is, either to change the default behavior, so that pressing Enter opens the document rather than going to edit mode. Or a convenient shortcut to open the embedded document.

The reason I'm putting those information in an embedded file is because it's totally arbitrary info that goes there (can be a few words or a more than 10 lines of text).

And the reason I'm not embedding a raw text file is I don't want the file icon to mess my table.

I welcome any other ideas that can help achieve the desired behavior, even if it means using a software other than Excel!

Answer 1

The embedded object seems like overkill. You can store multi line text natively in a cell in multiple ways:

1. Type the first line in the cell, press alt+enter for the new line and proceed. Play with font size and text wrapping formatting to achieve the desired look.
2. Store the text inside a comment or note. Select any cell. Press SHIFT+F2 to edit or insert the comment. On the review tab, you can easily jump to next or previous comments using the arrows. Very convenient during editing or review.
3. Insert a textbox shape, double click to edit text. Size the textbox to fit the cell. Edit shape properties and set to resize and move with cell.

Answer 2

What I'm looking for is ... a convenient shortcut to open the embedded document.

Once it is selected press menuoo.

See below for one example location of the menu key and what it may look like: