PowerPoint Tutorials

We’re all excited about the many features and possibilities that Powerpoint 2007 gives us, but what about those key charts and graphs that were created in previous versions of Powerpoint? Are you going to have to redo them? No, Powerpoint 2007 can also convert those charts in no time. In this tutorial, I will show you how to change a graph from a previous version to Powerpoint 2007.

Go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Program to open the program. Now open the older version presentation that has the graph created in pre-2007 software. You will see that the old graph opens up in Microsoft Graph – this is the program that Powerpoint used to create graphs in versions prior to 2007. You opened the old presentation in 2007 and the actual graph appears in Microsoft Graph and so it looks the same. Remember that Powerpoint 2007 does not convert automatically, in fact, if you like using Microsoft Graph, you can continue using it in 2007 since it’s compatible. But, if you want to use the cool new graph features in 2007, then this is how you do it.

Next, go to the slide where the old chart lies, select the graph and right click it, then go down to Chart Object and select Edit. Next click View>Datasheet, so you can see the source data for the graph. Now select all the graph source data and copy it to the clipboard.

Next de-select the graph area to deactivate Microsoft Graph, and go to Insert>Chart – you are going to create a brand new chart with the same source data. Now in the “Insert Chart” pop window box, find the same graph type as the original and select it. Next, delete the sample data in the Excel sheet that opens up. Please note that to get this step right, you can’t click in highlighting area of the sheet. Finally, place the cursor in the first cell and paste the source data that you had copied from the original graph Excel sheet.

Next, go to Design>Select Data. The “Select Data Source” pop up window box appears, and click on the “Chart Data Range.” Now, go to the sheet and select the source data needed to create the new chart – remember just click and drag all the information that you just pasted on the new Excel source sheet. Then, hit Enter or click Close. Then, click OK to close the “Select Data” pop up window box.

You’re done! You’ll see the new version of the graph with all the original information.

Great! Now you have the option to convert old graphs and not have to recreate them.

If you want your presentation to be a stand alone and be able to forward it to many people, you can use the voice narration feature to record your voice giving the presentation but without actually being there. This is great if you want to disseminate a presentation to large groups of people in different locations and when you don’t have the manpower and money to conduct the presentations in person. In this tutorial, I will show you how to record your voice on a presentation.

Please Note: Before using this feature, there are four things you need to think about so that you can do this as quickly and efficiently as possible. You need to think about the voice that will be used (yours or someone else), a script, and the sound card and microphone capabilities of your computer. First, you need to decide if your voice is good enough for narration or if you can ask a buddy to do the voice over for you. Second, you need to write down what’s going to be said – You need to have the material ready to be read in order not to waste time and focus. Lastly, check out that the microphone and the sound card in your computer work. Go ahead and do a test recording and play it back before actually doing the voice narration for your presentation. Once all these things are ready to go then just follow the next quick steps.

Go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Program to open the program. Open the presentation that you will be working on. Click on the first slide where you want to start the voice narration, now go to Slide Show>Record Narration.

The “Record Narration” pop up window box appears. Here you can adjust the microphone level and set the “Change Quality” of the recording. First, click the “Set Microphone Level” button and test the microphone, and after you’re done click OK. Then click the “Change Quality” button, and select the sound quality of the recording – you can make it sound like a “CD, Radio or Telephone Quality.” Make your selection and hit OK.

Now the presentation changes to Slide Show view and you can start recording your narration. Remember to click from one slide to the next when you’re ready. Once you’re done, save the presentation. A tiny sound icon will appear on the lower hand right corner of the slides to remind you that the slides have a voice recording.

Fantastic! Play it back and put it to good use.

We all know that using Powerpoint makes our presentations flawless and captivating. The program helps us organize information and present it to an audience in an organized and eye catching kind of way. But the other great things that we can do with Powerpoint are the fun part. After you take care of the writing and organization of the information, then you can really have fun jazzing up a presentation. In the 2007 version, you have the ability to add a picture or graphic as background to an actual graph or chart. In this brief tutorial, I will show you how easy and fun it is to add a picture or graphic to the background of a chart in a Powerpoint slide.

Go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Program to open the program, and open the presentation to the slide that you will be working on.

First, make sure the picture that you want to add to the background of the chart is saved, and ensure you have Powerpoint open with the chart in the slide. Next, click on the chart to select it, and go to Insert>Picture.

Next, look for the picture you want to insert and click on it.

Finally, hit the Insert key to add the picture to the background of the chart.

Once you have the picture in the back of the chart, don’t panic if it does not look perfect right away. You may have to either resize it, actually send the picture to the back of the chart by clicking on the picture to select it, go to Format>Send to Back, or you may need to tweak the transparency or the color of the picture – both of which can customized by using the Format menu.

Fantastic! Now you know how to jazz up those boring charts and graphs.

If you use Excel often, you’ll probably know how to save a chart as a template to reuse it and only have to change the source data. Well, the same concept holds true in Microsoft Powerpoint 2007. For example, if you have created a really powerful chart and find yourself in the position of having to reuse it, then why not save it as a template so that the next time you need to use it, it will be quickly accessible. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to save a chart as a template so that you can later use in another Powerpoint presentation.

1.Go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Program to open the program, and open the presentation to the slide that you will be working on.

2.First, make sure you have the chart open in a Powerpoint slide. Next click on the chart to select it and go to Design Tab>Save As Template.

3.Next, give the chart a name you will remember and save it in a location that will be easy to remember also.

4.If you want to retrieve this chart template to reuse it go to Insert>Chart>Templates. After selecting Templates from the “Create Chart” pop up window box, a listing of templates will appear.

5.Finally, find the template and hit OK.

Great Job! People will be impressed with your powerful charts and how quickly you can put them together.

There are some wonderful features only available in Powerpoint 2007 that will blow your mind away. One of these super cool functions is the SmartArt button. In a nutshell, you can take any bulleted list in your presentation and with a click magically turn it into a diagram graphic. In this short tutorial, I’ll show you the steps to accomplish this.

Go to Start>Programs>Microsoft Program to open the program, and open the presentation to the slide that you will be working on.

Let’s pretend that you have a bulleted list in one of your slides. Let’s call the slide title “Top Beverages Sold” and under the title in a text box you have the following four items in bullet points: Tropical Soda, Lime Soda, Cola and Root Beer. Next, click on the text box with the bulleted items to select it.

Now go to Home>Convert to SmartArt button, and select it.

Now you can choose from a list of diagram options. Review them and select the one that would best depict the bulleted list in a diagram format, and click OK.

Great Job! This is truly done with a click of your mouse.