# Embed desk widgets and other files in a document

> Show a live desk widget, such as a table or a checklist, inside a document, slide, design or diagram, and add a card that opens another Office file.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-embed-widgets-and-files
Section: Office > Office basics
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-15

A document can show a widget from one of your desks, such as a table of figures or a checklist, right on the page. The embed reads the widget each time the document opens, so it shows the widget's current content rather than a copy that goes out of date.

You can also add a card that names another Office file and opens it, so a report can point to the spreadsheet behind it.

## Before you start

- **Plans.** Embedding works on every plan.
- **A widget to embed.** It must already be on a desk. See [Add a widget to a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/add-a-widget).
- **Where you can embed widgets.** In PlexiDocs, PlexiSlides, PlexiDesign and PlexiDiagrams. Cards for other Office files are a PlexiDocs feature.

## Embed a widget in a document

1. Click where the widget should go.
2. Choose **Insert** > **Widget from a desk**. Or type / and choose **Insert widget from a desk**.
3. The **Widget from a desk** window lists each desk with its widgets. Type in **Search widgets or desks…** to narrow it by a widget's name or kind, or by a desk's name.
4. Click the widget.

The widget appears as a card in the document, headed with its name and the desk it comes from.

In PlexiSlides, PlexiDesign and PlexiDiagrams, the same window opens from **Insert** > **Widget from a desk**.

### What the card shows

| Widget | In the document |
| --- | --- |
| **Table** | Its columns and rows. |
| **Note** or **Markdown** holding a checklist | The checklist. |
| **Sticky**, **Note**, **Markdown**, **Card** and **Page** | Their text. |
| Any other kind | Its name and kind, with a line suggesting you open its desk to see it. |

The card is read-only. To change what it shows, edit the widget on its desk; the document shows the change the next time you open it.

If the widget is deleted, the card says **This widget no longer exists**.

## Add a card for another Office file

1. In PlexiDocs, click where the card should go.
2. Type / and choose **Insert office file** (Embed a document, sheet or slides).
3. In **Insert an office file**, type in **Search office files** to find it, then click the file.

The card shows the file's name and kind. Click **Open** on the card to open the file in its editor.

> **Tip:**
> You can also run either command from the command palette while you are in a document: press `⌘` `K` on a Mac (`Ctrl` `K` on Windows) and choose **Insert widget from a desk** or **Insert office file**.

## Move or remove an embed

- **Move** a card by dragging it to another place in the document.
- **Remove** it by clicking the card so it is outlined, then pressing `Delete` or `Backspace`. The widget or file itself is not affected.

## In exports

A Word, PDF or web export holds a placeholder line where each embed was: **Embedded desk widget** for a widget, and **Embedded PlexiOffice document** for a file card. To include the actual figures, copy them into the document before you export.

## Common questions

**The picker says there are no widgets.**
It lists widgets on your desks. If it says **No widgets on any desk yet**, add a widget to a desk first. A desk with nothing that can be embedded shows **No embeddable widgets on this desk.**

**Can I link to a desk or a person instead?**
Yes. Type @ in a document to link to a desk, room, widget, document or person. See [Insert with / and link with @](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-slash-menu-and-mentions).

**Can I put the whole document on a desk instead?**
Yes. See [Put a document, spreadsheet or deck on a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-put-files-on-desks).

## Related tasks

- [Insert with / and link with @](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-slash-menu-and-mentions)
- [Put a document, spreadsheet or deck on a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/office-put-files-on-desks)
- [Table widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table)
- [Tables, images and links](https://plexiidesk.com/help/docs-tables-images-links)
- [Add a widget to a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/add-a-widget)