How to Use Excel's Hyperlink Function

1. Know what the hyperlink function does. Hyperlink creates a shortcut or jump that opens a document stored on your computer's hard drive, the Internet or on a network server.
2. Follow the syntax of the Hyperlink function, which is =HYPERLINK (link_location, friendly_name). The parameter link_location refers to the area where the document to which you wish to link is stored. Make sure you include the entire address including http:// when linking to the Internet, or the full path when linking to a document on a drive. The friendly_name parameter is optional. It tells Excel what text to display for the hyperlink. If friendly_name is blank, Excel displays the link itself. Enclose both the link_location and friendly_name parameters in quotation marks.
3. Use the Hyperlink function. If you want to link to a picture on your C: drive and make a hyperlink in Excel that displays, 'Click here to see a picture of an elephant,' then use the following formula. =HYPERLINK('c:\My Pictures\elephant.jpg', 'Click here to see a picture of an elephant'). Don't put a period at the end of the equation. If you want to link to a website such as eHow, and you want the user to see the link address on which he's clicking, omit the friendly_name parameter like this: =HYPERLINK('http://www.ehow.com'). Again, don't include a period at the end of the equation.