Building a Presentation

Adding Slides

Once you have started a new presentation, you build a presentation by adding slides. Each slide has a layout that defines its basic structure, for example, whether it has text on it and how that text is laid out. You can also choose a layout that provides a placeholder for graphics or or a movie clip. To add a slide, follow these steps:

1. Choose Insert > New Slide.
2. In the New Slide dialog box, choose an AutoLayout by clicking on the picture of the layout you want. When you click an AutoLayout, you see a brief description of that layout at the bottom right of the dialog box.
3. When you find one you like, click OK. PowerPoint displays the new slide.

Tip: You can display the Common Tasks toolbar and use it to quickly add new slides and change slide layouts. Right-click (PC) or Ctrl-click (Mac) any toolbar and choose Common Tasks.

Applying a Background

You can apply one of the backgrounds (design templates) that come with PowerPoint or change the current one. You can have only one design template per presentation. To apply or change a design template, choose Apply Design from the Common Tasks toolbar or choose Format > Apply Design.

You can also create your own background. Choose Format > Background. From the drop-down list you can choose one of the "automatic" colors that come with the current design template, choose More Colors for a wider choice, or choose Fill Effects to create a backbround from a gradient or picture.

Developing Your Outline

The best way to build a presentation is to work on your outline. This method helps you focus on your content first.

Importing an Outline: You can import an outline from Microsoft Word. In Word, assign each slide title the Heading 1 style. Assign bulleted text the Heading 2 style. If you want a second-level of bulleted text, indented from the regular bulleted text, assign it the Heading 3 style. You can create an instant PowerPoint presentation from this outline by choosing File > Send To > Microsoft PowerPoint. Try it! Or you can save the outline and import it from PowerPoint: choose Insert > Slides from Outline. Locate your outline document, click it and click Insert.

Writing Your Outline in PowerPoint: You can use Outline View in PowerPoint to create your presentation. Follow these steps:

1. Click the Outline view button to go into outline view. (Or use Normal view in PowerPoint 2000.)
2. Choose Format > Slide Layout to choose a slide layout for your presentation. Later, you can change individual slide layouts.
3. Type your first slide's title and press Enter. PowerPoint creates a new slide. (You see the #2 slide icon.)
4. Since you usually want the next text to still be on slide one, click Demote on the Outline toolbar that appears when you go into Outline view. PowerPoint changes the text to regular (first-level) bulleted text.
5. Continue to type until you have finished the slide, pressing Enter after each bulleted item.
6. Type the title for slide 2 and press Enter. Then click Promote on the Outline toolbar.
7. Continue to create your slides in the same way until you are done.

Adding Text Boxes

You may want to add text that is not in a text placeholder. You do this by adding a text box, which you can place anywhere on a slide. Here's how:

1. Choose Insert > Text Box or click the Text Box button on the Drawing toolbar.
2. Drag diagonally from one corner of the box to the opposite corner where you want the box to appear.
3. Immediately start typing the text you want in the Text Box.

Adding WordArt

WordArt is a small application that lets you create wild and wacky text. Don't over use it but it's great for an occasional splash.

1. Choose Insert WordArt on the Drawing toolbar. (To display the Drawing toolbar, which you use a lot in PowerPoint, choose View > Toolbars > Drawing) You see the WordArt Gallery, shown here.
2. Choose the variation you like most and click OK. You can modify it later.
3. In the Edit WordArt Text dialog box, type the text you want. What you type replaces the "dummy" text. You can also select the text and change its font, size, and style (bold or italic). Click OK.
4. PowerPoint places the WordArt and may open up the WordArt toolbar. If you want to make any adjustments, you need this toolbar. You can open it by choosing View > Toolbars > WordArt.
5. Use the toolbars buttons to edit the text, re-open the WordArt Gallery to choose another variation, format it (colors, lines, size, position), change its shape (path), rotate it, set all letters to the same height, create vertical text, align it, and change the character spacing.
6. To create more dramatic effects, use the Drawing toolbar shadow and 3D settings on the WordArt.

Inserting Symbols

To insert special symbols not on the keyboard, choose Insert > Symbol.

1. Select the font from the Font drop-down list. Some fonts have fun symbols, such as Wingdings and Monotype Sorts. Use (normal text) for most uses.
2. Click a symbol to see it enlarged.
3. Choose Insert to insert the symbol.
4. Close the Symbol dialog box by clicking Close.