Design Corner: Reorganizing a Slide s Contents in the Outline Tab

Design Corner: Reorganizing a Slide's Contents in the Outline Tab

Your eighth -grade English teacher was right: Before you write (or create a presentation), outline your thoughts to ensure a logical flow. Creating an outline can call attention to flow problems early, when it's easiest to fix them. PowerPoint's outlining features make it easy to correct and perfect your outline.

For example, say that your team is selecting new accounting software, and it's your job to present the selection process to them. You entered the basic points on your introductory slide, but on review you realize that the subtopics aren't indented correctly under the main topics you want to cover. You can correct this easily with the Outlining toolbar:

1. Click on the Outline tab in Normal view. If the slide's contents aren't clearly visible, drag the pane's border to resize it.

2. Select the Goals and Objectives bullet points on the Outline tab and click the Demote button on the Outlining toolbar.

3. Select the Final deadline: May 1, 2004 bullet point and click the Promote button on the Outlining toolbar.

Before

Figure 5.10. Demote these two bullet points, which are part of the project introduction. Promote this bullet point, which is its own topic.

After

Figure 5.11. The reorganized slide.