“PowerPoint is my Creative Suite” is my first session I am busy preparing for the Presentation Summit that is this October in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
I have been pulling real projects from the archives to use as examples. It is going to be a great session with lots of examples and, I will be in the Help Center over the 3 day event to talk about projects and PowerPoint design options.
Hope to see you there! Here is The Presentation Summit info page.
– Troy @ TLC
Many projects start with “Do you create Prezi presentations?”
Yes, TLC Creative Services develops Prezi presentations! We apply years of professional presentation design to the unique capabilities of Prezi so presenters have something dynamic and different than other presenters. Here is a promo reel that shows a sampling of Prezi presentations we have developed.
[youtube src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/-iRdyRQ60Jc?rel=0″]
– Troy @ TLC
Last week, I developed the presentation graphics and ran the presentations fort his is the show. It was unique in that I first developed the full animation and dynamic presentations. This was used for the local audience. I then developed a webcast (LiveMeeting) version of the same slides (fewer styling and animation effects to be compatible with the system). Last, was confirming the internal streaming TV system was able to capture and broadcast all without issue. The presentations ran on separate systems that I setup with a central remote to control all for simultaneous presentation control. The overall meeting had the local plus 3 remote sites, local and remote presenters (who took control of the webcast presentation and I followed for the local audience), telepresence cameras and a lot of group interactivity. All ran smoothly and it was a great show!
– Troy @ TLC
There are a number of visual enhancements to PowerPoint 2013. Some I like, some not as much… One I really like is a small update to the slide sorter when reordering slides.
Now, when a group of slides are selected, they minimize to a small stack icon (here I have grouped 29 slides displayed as a single icon). This is a small update, but it makes it much easier to move large sets of slides and quickly see where the slides need to move to.
– Troy @ TLC
Microsoft Office is available in a few options, but the biggest options are purchase the software or the subscription. As is typical of Microsoft marketing the options are not easy to find clear descriptions of, and the naming (ie. Office 365) is used in several ways.
To help, here is a description of each of the offerings (all information pulled from Microsoft).
Office Home and Student 2013
Gives you a variety of new and familiar features to simplify work and achieve incredible results with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and One Note. New Office Web Apps offer dynamic new ways to create access and share your files via computer, web browser or Windows Mobile based smart phone. Customizable templates, color schemes, dynamic text effects, photo and video editing capabilities allow for unprecedented creativity and put you in total control of your project.
Office Home and Business 2013
Powerful tools and smart, simple features help you tackle your busy schedule efficiently, work with others at home or on the road, and create reports and presentations that command attention. When you need to get it done right, Office Home and Business 2013 gives you the tools you need. Includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook.
Office Professional 2013
A complete suite of productivity and database software that includes the 2013 versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, One Note and Access. Includes the ability to access, edit and share documents any time from any place with an internet connection, sync your files and information with Microsoft Office Web Apps, broadcast presentations almost anywhere and also comes with easy analytical tools to process data and trends. Plus, it is easier than ever to organize work and projects, collaborate with others, build databases, manage finances and much more!
Office 365 Home Premium
The latest versions of best in class applications plus cloud services including Skype and SkyDrive on up to 5 PCs, Windows 8 tablets, and Macs. Includes: Office for the entire household on up to 5 PCs, Windows 8 tablets, and Macs. The latest versions of: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access. An extra 20 GB of online storage in SkyDrive (27 GB total) for anywhere access to your documents. 60 minutes of Skype calls each month to phones in over 40 countries. One convenient annual subscription for the whole household with convenient automatic upgrades.
Office 2013 was officially released last week. And as you can see, I have replaced PowerPoint 2010 and running PowerPoint 2013. Hopefully as a help, here are the most repeated questions I have been answering.
Do I need Windows 8 to use Office 2013?
No, Office 2013 will install and run on Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8.
How confident are you in switching to PowerPoint 2013?
While I have been using Office 2013, and specifically PowerPoint 2013 for many months under the my NDA with Microsoft, I have experienced very few crashes or issues using the beta software. Now that is officially released, I had no problem instantly updating most of our computers to Office 2013.
Is there a lot of learning to use PowerPoint 2013?
If you have used PPT 2007 or 2010, it is very similar. The largest change to become familiar with is the new ‘Metro’ User Interface graphics – everything is still there, but with new icons. Many dialogs are now action panes vs. pop up boxes. And things like “Export” for certain Save As options is new. So there is some looking for the feature, but easy to do/find.
Can I use my custom QAT (Quick Access Toolbar)?
Yes! The QAT is the same on every designers computer and show computer and without it we are lost. From PPT 2007 and 2010, the QAT settings can be exported and then imported into PPT 2013.
In August, I did a full month of posts highlighting many of the new features in PPT 2013 (click here for the August blog summary).
– Troy @ TLC
Sometimes features go missing in newer versions of software. In PowerPoint, the “AUTO SCALE” feature for chart text disappeared after PPT 2003.
Charts in PPT 2003 have an Auto Scale font feature for chart axis’ (checked on by default) that allows the font to scale to the chart when the chart is resized.
The font stays in scale to the chart when the chart is enlarged or reduced in size.
Charts in PPT 2010 do not have the auto scale font feature. When the charts are resized, the fonts stay the same size and get cut off or removed. You have to select the axis and increase or decrease the font manually.
In PPT 2003, however, when the lock aspect ratio for the chart is turned off, and the chart is stretched, the chart becomes distorted.
But in PPT 2010, when the charts are stretched horizontally or vertically, they do not distort.
AUTO SCALE, we miss you!
– Troy @ TLC
There is a good reason for this feature, but for most it seems to be bug. Which is it, depends on your preference.
Here is the scenario. A chart is on a slide:
With the chart selected, you decide to add a callout box to highlight the important data in the chart.
The new shape is inserted, editable and look like what you wanted. But the shape is actually within the chart boundaries. In this case you select the new shape, and the chart is also still. Select the chart, and the shape is also part of the selection.
The dilemma is the new callout shape can be edited and moved – but it can only move within the chart boundaries. It is also connected to the chart for animation.
What PowerPoint has done, which is actually by design, is inserted the shape as part of the chart element, because the chart was selected while the shape was inserted. If the chart is moved, the shape moves. If the chart is deleted, the shape is deleted. But the shape does not directly interact with the chart. As example the chart styling options do not change the shape styling. Chart animations do not animate the new shape(but animations can be added and controlled for the shape, they are part of the chart element animation).
For some, this is a feature – the ability to tie new shapes to a chart. For others, it is a bug – they did not want the shape tied to the chart.
SOLUTION: If you want the shape outside of the chart, the easiest fix is to select the shape (select the chart, then select the shape within the chart) >> copy >> delete >> unselect the chart >> paste. Now the slide has a chart element and a separate shape element.
– Troy @ TLC
Okay, the title is a bit misleading for this one. It is not so much the presenter notes that are improved, but rather the way you open/close the presenter notes.
Here is my sample slide, which is not showing the Presenter Notes:
New in PPT 2013 is the addition of a NOTES button on the bottom of the UI.
Click the NOTES button and the Presenter Notes open – no need to fiddle with positioning the cursor and getting the double arrow cursor so you can click and drag to raise up and open the Presenter Notes.
Here is a video of the NOTES button in action
[youtube src=”https://youtube.com/embed/pr5op_ibccE?rel=0″]
– Troy @ TLC
This is a nice addition to PowerPoint and a really well planned and implemented function – Resume.
Here is a presentation for a recent project. Note it has 14 slides.
Before closing the presentation, I am on slide #5.
When I reopen the presentation:
1. I am always viewing slide #1.
2. I have a message on the scroll bar informing me of the last slide I was looking at before the presentation was closed, along with the date and time.
I can choose to work on slide 1, manually go to any slide in the deck, or click the RESUME box and automatically be taken to that slide – in this case, slide #5
– Troy @ TLC