Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Quick Tips & Tutorials

These Quick Tips will summarize the tricks we've learned to use PowerPoint 2007 more effectively.

Developing templates for both 2007 and 2003 users?

The PowerPoint 2007 "Slide Master plus Multiple Layouts" model gives us the ability to add our own custom layouts, which is fantastic.

Unfortunately, our older PPT versions don't automagically inherit the new features. They don't understand layouts, other than the supplied and uneditable AutoLayouts, and never will. (Go ahead, MS ... make a liar of me. I'll be delighted!).

So? So if you're creating templates that'll be used in both 2007 and earlier versions, our best advice is to create them in 2003 then save a separate version and modify that in 2007. PowerPoint 2007 users should use your 2007 templates, 2003 and earlier users should use the earlier versions. Moving presentations and templates back and forth between versions is a recipe for trouble. Avoid it.

Nudge Charts

You can nudge most PowerPoint shapes using the arrow keys, but not charts. If you select a chart and press the arrow keys, it selects different sub-shapes within the chart rather than moving the chart.

Instead, press the Ctrl key, then select the chart. Instead of the usual chart selection frame, you'll see little circles at each corner of the chart, and you'll be able to nudge the chart with the arrow keys or use Ctrl+ArrowKey to nudge in 1 pixel increments.

Nudge Smart Art

To select an entire SmartArt diagram (so you can nudge or otherwise work with it) rather than one of its component shapes, click anywhere in the SmartArt diagram then press ESC.

Guides, where are my Guides???

Add Slide Numbers to PowerPoint Slides

Do you really care if there are numbers printed on your PowerPoint slides? Well, often you do.

Here are a few reasons why this might be important.

Any time you plan to give out handouts with copies of your PowerPoint slides to the audience, it is a good idea to have them numbered. This ensures that the viewer will be reading your information package in the right order.
When your slide show is displayed on a large screen, you may get involved in a discussion with the audience about a particular slide, causing you to lose your mental place in the presentation. A quick peek at the slide number will tell you how much material you still have to cover so you can pace yourself accordingly.
If you want to return to a certain slide, one that appeared 5 slides ago, you can quickly access the shortcut enu during the slide show and enter the correct slide number.