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Sharing information with other applications
You can share files and graphics between HCL Notes® and other applications using a number of different techniques.
Getting started with sharing information
These tasks explain how to copy data into Notes, and how to share your Notes data with other applications.
What is object linking and embedding?
Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) is a technology that lets you share data between applications and is supported for Microsoft® Windows®.

Sharing information with other applications
You can share files and graphics between HCL Notes® and other applications using a number of different techniques.
- Getting started with sharing information
  These tasks explain how to copy data into Notes, and how to share your Notes data with other applications.
  - How can I copy data into a Notes document?
    You can copy and paste data directly from an application into an HCL Notes® document if you have the application on your computer.
  - What is object linking and embedding?
    Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) is a technology that lets you share data between applications and is supported for Microsoft® Windows®.
- Sharing information with other applications quick reference
  This quick reference card is a list of instructions for common tasks and shortcuts for sharing information with other applications, which you can print and keep at your desk for easy reference.
- Working with shared information
  These tasks explain how to import and export data between Notes and other applications.
- Advanced shared information topics
  These tasks describe how to work with object linking and embedding, and how to import or export formatted data.

What is object linking and embedding?

Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) is a technology that lets you share data between applications and is supported for Microsoft® Windows®.

Linking

A linked object is a pointer to data in a source file; when data in the source file changes, the changes are reflected in Notes®. (You can specify whether the linked data in Notes® is updated automatically or manually when data in the source file changes.)

Because a linked object's data is stored in the source file, users who need to edit (or update) a linked object need to have the server application, have access to the source file on a file server, and maintain the directory mapping to the source file on the file server. Also, if a source file is moved or deleted, the linked object that points to it has to be re-created.

Embedding

An embedded object is a copy of data from a source file; when data from the source file changes, the changes are not reflected in the embedded object.

Because an embedded object's data is stored in Notes®, users who need to edit an embedded object don't need access to the source file. For this reason, embedding makes it easier to share static data from other applications in Notes® with other users.

Note: Embedded objects require more storage space in a Notes® application than do linked objects.