Click Start > Programs > MS Office > PowerPoint.
In PowerPoint, single-click on File > New > From Design Template.
Choose a design by single-clicking each of the designs to preview.
For a cover page, click Slide Layout on the drop-down arrow (top right) and click the first slide. Follow the instructions on the screen to type in text. Add the title (e.g. Site Visit, the name of the business) and sub-heading (e.g. the group and names of group members), the course, and the semester.
To add a footer, click View > Header and Footer > click the box you want (date and/or footer text, e.g. the site you visited).
To add a slide, click Insert > New slide. Slide 2: Table of Contents. Give a brief outline (table of contents) of the presentation (titles of the slides = topics). Have a title for each following slide, e.g. Marketing: Product. Use bullets for each new point (8 bullets maximum per slide). Do not write sentences; use phrases.
For a simple bulleted list with a title, click on the second slide.
For a two-column bulleted list with title, click the third slide, etc.
Other options include a table, a graph with bullets, an organization chart, a bar graph, clipart with bullets, and a blank page.
To change font styles, colors, and sizes, click Format > Font.
To add graphics, click Insert > Picture > Clipart (or From file to insert your own picture). Consider using the company's Web site for additional pictures, e.g. the company logo, but check with the company that this is ok. Copy the picture (right-click > copy; then go to the PPT slide and right-click > Paste to insert the picture. To resize graphics, always use the corner handles.
To add transition effects from slide to slide, click Slide Transition (drop-down arrow, top right). Be sure that you stay consistent in your transitions.
To add bullet effects/transitions, click Slide Show > Custom Animation > Add Effect, but be sure to keep the effect simple (no sounds, please!), e.g. fade in or appear all at once (not letter by letter or word by word).
To add notes to your slide, click View > Notes page and type your speaking notes below the slide.
To see the slide show, click Slide Show > View show.
To save, click File, then Save As. Choose the z: drive or your flash drive or a CD to save to.
To print, click File, then Print > choose the type (notes pages, slides, handout).
© 2004: Christine Bauer-Ramazani; updated for PPT 2003: July 09, 2017