We are often asked how easy it is to change our PowerPoint templates. Everything in our templates can be moved, sized, copied or deleted from the template. I thought I would show some of the things you can do with our templates. In order to make these changes you will need to be slightly familiar with the Slide Master and how it works to control the layout and the design of a PowerPoint template.
You can access the Slide Master by clicking on the view tab on the PowerPoint Ribbon.
Slide Master View in PowerPoint
Under the Slide Master you will find all the elements we have used to create the overall design of the template. If you are editing an animated template, you will find the video files here that we use. Also each swoosh, swoop, design box or divider we use in the template is located here as well.
Note: one exception is the 3D clip art we use is placed directly on the individual slides and is not part of the Slide Master.
There are typically several elements layered on top of each other, so you’ll want to have the selection pane open as well.
Opening the Selection Pane In PowerPoint 2010
Under the home tab in the ribbon, choose Select > Selection Pane. The selection pane gives a list of all the elements that are on the slide and in what order they are stacked on top of each other. Tip: This is a great way to get to an element that might be hidden beneath a text box or other element.
Selection Pane in PowerPoint 2010
For this tutorial I’m using the Global Energy template by PresenterMedia artist Josh Doohen.
Download Global Energy PowerPoint Template here.
By selecting different elements, moving and deleting, it was simple to create these distinct slide looks from the original title slide.
Tags: PowerPoint Templates, slide master, tutorial
Thanks so much for sharing this great tip! You can learn all sorts of new tips and tricks about the latest PowerPoint 2010 at the PowerPoint page on Facebook. I recommend joining the community and conversation to learn more about it at http://www.facebook.com/MicrosoftPowerPoint.
Thanks again!
Kim
Microsoft Office Outreach
Thanks Kim, we’ve joined the community. And we will encourage our visitors to do so as well.
I have PPT 2010. I click on “slide master” under “view” and none of the options you display appear.
Why do you make it so difficult to change and edit a template? PPT 2010 is so over designed it doesn’t work.
Hi Mark, I am sorry to hear of your frustration. I’ve found PowerPoint 2010 the best version of PowerPoint so far, and I think as you get used to it, you will too.
Based on your comment, I’m guessing that you didn’t find the selection pane. It’s located under the Home tab, at the very far right side of the ribbon.
When we design our templates, we include the elements that are not normally changed in the Slide Master. This keeps the elements from getting in the way when adding your content to the slides. Editing the slide master is an advanced PowerPoint technique and I understand how it can be come frustrating. But once you have the slide master open and the Selection Pane open, you will be able to select all the design elements and move them around, delete them, or substitute different imagery.
Art Holden
PresenterMedia
Our company is still using 2007 version. Can you do a Help Series for those?
Hi Dennis, In 2007 things are going to look just about the same as the screenshots in this tutorial. The way the SlideMaster works is the same in both 2010 and 2007 and the selection pane is in the same place, on the home tab, on the far right.
Art Holden
PresenterMedia.com