Getting started in Power Point:

A “how to” for PowerPoint presentations.

How do I create a new PowerPoint presentation?

You may try one of three ways to get started. First option- simply click on the PowerPoint icon, or go to your “Start” menu and open PowerPoint. Once the program is running a new presentation is ready to be worked on. You will be on your first slide.

Second option -In the PowerPoint 2003 version you will have a sidebar help section on the right side of your screen. Click on the “Getting Started” arrow. Once the menu drops down, click on the “New Presentation” option. Now click on the option - “blank presentation”.

Third option – once you have opened the PowerPoint program use your mouse to click on the “New” icon. It is located in the upper left hand corner of your menu bar at the top of the page. (It looks like a small blank piece of paper).

Any of these methods will open a new presentation ready for work. But remember, each time you chose to do this while you are inside PowerPoint, a new presentation will be opened.

(N.B. For the next series of questions remember that there is a “Help” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Anytime that you need help on how to do something within PowerPoint, click on this option. When the drop down appears click on “Microsoft Office PowerPoint Help F1” and you will have a sidebar help section on the right side of your screen. Or simply hit your F1 key on your keyboard. Many of the topics of these questions are easily accessed in the side bar if you click on PowerPoint Help arrow.

IF AT ANYTIME YOU MAKE A CHANGE THAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO KEEP. DO NOT PANIC. Click on the “Edit” option located in the upper left hand corner of your menu bar at the top of the page. Once the bar drops down, click on the “Undo…” option. This will reverse your last change to your presentation.)

How do I add another slide?

To insert a new slide click your mouse on the “Insert” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Once the drop down opens, click on “New Slide”.

A quicker way to do it is to locate the “New Slide” option on your menu bar at the top of the page.

You may add a new slide after any slide in your presentation. For example, you may want to add a new slide between slide 3 and slide 4. In order to do this, move to slide 3 of your presentation and click on “New Slide”.

If you are not sure how to move to any slide you have a few ways of doing this.

First, simply move the arrows up and down on your keyboard to move from slide to slide.

Second, if your mouse has “wheel”, rotate it up or down to move from slide to slide.

Third, click the scroll down option with your mouse on the side of the slide window to move from slide to slide.

Fourth, if you do not already see a left side bar with a smaller view of all of your slides, click your mouse on the “View” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Once it drops down, click on “Normal”. This will open the left side bar. Now you may click on any slide in your presentation to view it.

How do I change the type of slide?

To change the type of slide that you are working on, or the “Slide Layout”, click your mouse on the “Format” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Once the drop down opens, click on “Slide Layout”. You should now have a side bar on the right hand side of your screen. Run your mouse over the different “Text Layouts”, and “Content Layouts”, or other layout options on the page. Click on any of them and notice that the layout of your slide changes. Click on the layout that best supports your needs.

If later you want to change the layout of a slide, go back to “Slide Layout” and choose another format from the options.

If you have already added more than one slide in your presentation, and want to apply a certain layout to all of your slides, you will find that as you click on the different “Text Layouts”, and “Content Layouts”, or other layout options, you will notice that a blue bar will appear on the layout option. Next, if you do not already see a left side bar with a smaller view of all of your slides, click your mouse on the “View” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Once it drops down, click on “Normal”. Once the side bar appears, click on the slide that you are working on. Now press your “Ctrl” and “A” on your keyboard simultaneously. Now chose the layout that you would like applied to all of the slides in you presentation.

How do I add a design template?

In order to design a template click your mouse on the “Format” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Once the drop down opens, click on “Slide Design”. You should now have a side bar on the right hand side of your screen. Run your mouse over the different “Slide Design” options on the page. Click on any of them and notice that the design of your slide changes. Click on the layout that best supports your needs.

You may also click on the “Getting Started” arrow. Once the menu drops down, click on the “Slide Design” option.

When you click on one of the options it will apply to all of your slides. If you want it applied to only certain slides, click on the blue bar that appears on the right side of the individual designs options. Click on “Apply to All Slides”, or “Apply to Selected Slides” accordingly.

How do I change background colors?

In order to design a template click your mouse on the “Format” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Once the drop down opens, click on “Slide Design”. You should now have a side bar on the right hand side of your screen. Below “Slide Designs”, click on the “Color Schemes” option. This will change the color of the background of your slides.

Once again, when you click on one of the options it will apply to all of your slides. If you want it applied to only certain slides, click on the blue bar that appears on the right side of the individual designs options. Click on “Apply to All Slides”, or “Apply to Selected Slides” accordingly.

How do I set transitions?

In order to set the transitions from slide to slide click your mouse on the “Slide Show” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Once the drop down opens, click on “Slide Transition”. You should now have a side bar on the right hand side of your screen. Run your mouse over the different “Slide Transition” options on the page. Click on any of them and notice that the transition effect is applied to that particular slide. Click on the transition that best supports your needs.

Once again, when you click on one of the options it will apply to that particular slide. If you want it applied to all your slides, click on “Apply to All Slides” near the bottom of the right side bar.

Once you have selected the transition(s), you will look again at the right side bar and click on the “Speed” option and decide on the speed of your transitions. If you look again below the “Speed” option, there is a “Sound” option. Click on the arrow and choose your sound effect to go with the transition, or choose no sound at all. Again, when you click on one of the options it will apply to that particular slide. If you want it applied to all your slides, click on “Apply to All Slides” near the bottom of the right side bar.

Also you have the option of advancing each slide in your presentation by clicking your mouse during your presentation, or select the option of having the slides advance automatically at given timed intervals. This option is once again in the right side bar, below the “Speed” and “Sound” options.

How do I set animation?

In order to set the transitions from slide to slide click your mouse on the “Slide Show” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Once the drop down opens, click on “Animation Schemes…” You should now have a side bar on the right hand side of your screen. Scroll through the animation options for each slide. Try different ones, by clicking on the different options, or clicking on play near the bottom of the side bar. There is also the option to apply any particular animation to “Apply to All Slides”.

How do I add clipart?

In order to set the transitions from slide to slide click your mouse on the “Insert” option on your menu bar at the top of the page. Once the drop down opens, click on “Picture”. Now click on “Clip Art”.

Or you may click on your right sidebar help section, on the right side of your screen, and click on the “Clip Art” option.

Once the Clip Art option appears, type in whatever type of picture you are looking for in the “Search for:” box. Use the “Tips for finding clips” option at the bottom of the side bar for help.

Once you have found an appropriate picture click on it within the side bar. This will insert the picture into your slide.

To move the image: simply left-click your mouse on the image. Do not release your finger and hold it there while moving, or dragging, the mouse to the desired position within the slide. Release your finger from the left-click and the image will be set in that position.

If you want to expand, or make the image smaller: click on the image. Notice that there are eight dots that surround the image. Fix your mouse on any of those dots until a two-way arrow appears. Once it appears,

left-click and hold, while dragging your mouse in the direction of one of the arrows. This will expand or minimize the image. Once it is the proper size release your finger from the mouse.

Simply repeat the above steps until you have what you need.

Reminder:

IF AT ANYTIME YOU MAKE A CHANGE THAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO KEEP. DO NOT PANIC. Click on the “Edit” option located in the upper left hand corner of your menu bar at the top of the page. Once the bar drops down, click on the “Undo…” option. This will reverse your last change to your presentation. If you want to “undo” a series of changes repeat the above “Edit” process.)

Back to Technical How to’s