Microsoft PowerPoint comes built in with many useful functions that assists users in creating effective business presentation slides. However, if one were to take time to fully understand it’s interface and experiment with it’s capabilities, it would realistically take up quite some time. An apt first step of experimenting with Microsoft PowerPoint would be to practice and utilise these 5 Microsoft PowerPoint tools:
- Smart Art
Not to be confused with word art, Smart Art is a function specifically designed to serve as a business diagram tool for easy graphical representation. In order to use this tool, select the insert ‘SmartChart graphic’ option and choose from the range of selection options that are made available. Smart Art is most oftenly used for professional business diagrams with varying structures in a combination of text and image. If you are looking for a structural and concise method of displaying data or explaining information, Smart Art is the best out of all Microsoft PowerPoint tools to use.
- Shapes
In situations where you would prefer to customise a diagram by drawing it manually, you are able to do so by applying independent shapes with the drawing tool format options. Microsoft PowerPoint allows the creation of various independent shapes, either to form a solid or even use as a surrounding background bracket. Once you have chosen your shape, simply insert and manipulate it’s size as well as position to your heart’s contents.
3. Transitions (Slides)
Transitions between slides when presenting can serve as an engaging manner of keeping your audience’s attention on your presentation when used in moderation. When it comes to Microsoft PowerPoint, the software offers users the options of transitioning between slides and animation of specific parts on the presentation slides. Users can choose for transition effects to be applied to all slides or a select few by manually applying with the help of the slide sorter view. Even to this day, slide transitions remain one of the most popular Microsoft PowerPoint tools out of the entire repertoire it offers.
- Short cuts
Microsoft PowerPoint functions can also be performed by pressing specific shortcut keys, for example the activation of sticky keys to facilitate the user’s convenience while they use the software. Users can make use of shortcuts to get a wide range of activities done, including spell checking contents, moving panes, switching between functions, opening up the print command box and more!
- Animation
Animations are another one of the more popular Microsoft PowerPoint tools that are most commonly used amongst business professionals and presenters. One advantage animation features hold over their transition counterpart would be that animations can be applied to virtually everything on your presentation slide. Animating certain portions of your presentation can serve to break up monotony and engage your audience. However be sure to use this effect sparingly, too much could be overkill.
With these 5 Microsoft PowerPoint tools, you will be well on your way of understanding the software the more you utilise and practice with them. Use them in your daily work and be surprised at how much of a difference they could make!
