WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:11.370 --> 00:00:15.870 I've been working with a local animal rescue, and I think a PowerPoint presentation is just 00:00:15.870 --> 00:00:19.500 what we need to showcase some info about their adoptable pets. 00:00:19.500 --> 00:00:24.440 But how do we get from this… to a presentation that looks like this? 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:28.919 The key is understanding how slides, layouts, and placeholders work. 00:00:28.919 --> 00:00:32.509 Let's take a look at placeholders first. 00:00:32.509 --> 00:00:37.420 When you start with a new slide, it'll usually include one or more placeholders. 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:42.149 Placeholders can contain text, pictures, charts, and all kinds of different objects. 00:00:42.149 --> 00:00:47.719 To find out what you can do with a placeholder, just mouse over the icons here. 00:00:47.719 --> 00:00:51.949 The way these placeholders are arranged has to do with the layout of your slide. 00:00:51.949 --> 00:00:56.269 This layout happens to include one for the title, and two more for content. 00:00:56.269 --> 00:00:59.850 You can choose your layout when you first insert a slide, or you can change it later 00:00:59.850 --> 00:01:03.539 depending on the type of content you're working with. 00:01:03.539 --> 00:01:07.990 To insert a new slide, look to the New Slide command on the Home tab. 00:01:07.990 --> 00:01:12.860 You can use the top half to add a slide in the same layout as the current one… or you 00:01:12.860 --> 00:01:18.360 can open the menu underneath the command… and choose the exact layout you want. 00:01:18.360 --> 00:01:25.160 You can even insert a blank slide, and add your own text boxes and objects later. 00:01:25.160 --> 00:01:27.870 Changing the current layout is just as easy. 00:01:27.870 --> 00:01:33.340 All you have to do is click the Layout command… and make a new selection from the menu. 00:01:33.340 --> 00:01:38.070 This time, we're going to choose the Section Header layout. 00:01:38.070 --> 00:01:42.280 At this point, instead of inserting more slides for the rest of the pets in the slideshow, 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:45.530 I'd like to try copying and pasting instead. 00:01:45.530 --> 00:01:49.720 This can really save you time when the slides you need are so similar to what you already 00:01:49.720 --> 00:01:51.350 have. 00:01:51.350 --> 00:01:57.720 Just select the slide you want to copy… then click the Copy command on the Home tab. 00:01:57.720 --> 00:02:04.300 Next, click in between or below the slide where you want the copy to appear… then 00:02:04.300 --> 00:02:07.720 go back to the Ribbon and click Paste. 00:02:07.720 --> 00:02:12.450 You can paste as many copies as you need. 00:02:12.450 --> 00:02:16.700 Now that I have these copies to use as sort of a template, I no longer need the two content 00:02:16.700 --> 00:02:19.090 slides that we started with. 00:02:19.090 --> 00:02:25.280 That means I'm going to delete them by pressing backspace or delete on my keyboard… and 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:30.239 I'm also going to move this section header, so it's a little later in the presentation. 00:02:30.239 --> 00:02:35.819 To do this, click & hold the thumbnail, then just drag & drop it into place. 00:02:35.819 --> 00:02:39.159 There we go—now everything is in order. 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:44.690 Next, I'd like to take a closer look at the slide itself, and show you some ways that 00:02:44.690 --> 00:02:46.409 you can customize it. 00:02:46.409 --> 00:02:50.760 The important thing to remember is that nothing is set in stone—you can always adjust your 00:02:50.760 --> 00:02:53.980 layout, and change the look of your slides any way you want. 00:02:53.980 --> 00:02:59.349 To delete a placeholder, for example, all you have to do is select it… then press 00:02:59.349 --> 00:03:02.959 backspace or delete on your keyboard. 00:03:02.959 --> 00:03:09.519 Placeholders can also be moved and resized using the drag & drop method… and the sizing 00:03:09.519 --> 00:03:14.280 handles here. 00:03:14.280 --> 00:03:21.709 Let's just fill this in before we continue… 00:03:21.709 --> 00:03:26.560 Of course, if you need to add a text box to your slide, there's a way to do that too. 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:30.579 This can come in handy if you're working with a blank slide, or a presentation that's highly 00:03:30.579 --> 00:03:32.299 customized. 00:03:32.299 --> 00:03:38.590 Just go to the Insert tab… then click the Text Box command. 00:03:38.590 --> 00:03:49.139 Now you can add a text box anywhere you want. 00:03:49.139 --> 00:03:52.629 You may not want to change things too much, though (depending on your level of design 00:03:52.629 --> 00:03:53.829 experience). 00:03:53.829 --> 00:03:57.799 If you stray too far from the built-in layouts, it can be difficult to get your presentation 00:03:57.799 --> 00:03:59.779 looking consistent. 00:03:59.779 --> 00:04:03.700 Sometimes it's better to try a different layout instead—in other words, one that has the 00:04:03.700 --> 00:04:05.680 arrangement you need… 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:09.870 Or you can choose a different theme using the options on the Design tab. 00:04:09.870 --> 00:04:12.260 Here's how they work. 00:04:12.260 --> 00:04:15.859 All you have to do is mouse over the thumbnails for a preview. 00:04:15.859 --> 00:04:19.330 As you can see, each theme uses a slightly different layout. 00:04:19.330 --> 00:04:23.250 So you can easily try out different designs, and change the look of your slides, without 00:04:23.250 --> 00:04:26.200 moving any placeholders at all. 00:04:26.200 --> 00:04:29.370 I think I like the one with the large image the best. 00:04:29.370 --> 00:04:34.960 There are still a couple more features on the Design tab that'll let you customize your 00:04:34.960 --> 00:04:35.960 slides. 00:04:35.960 --> 00:04:41.780 For example, over here on the right, you can change or format your current background. 00:04:41.780 --> 00:04:45.480 You can also adjust the size and dimensions of your presentation if you're not using a 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:48.940 wide-screen monitor. 00:04:48.940 --> 00:04:53.610 Now you know how to work with slides, placeholders, and layouts, including a few simple tricks 00:04:53.610 --> 00:04:55.539 for changing your presentation's design.