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Archives for 2008

September 21, 2008 Leave a Comment

Watch My PowerPoint Video Lessons on YouTube

I have uploaded many of my PowerPoint Training Videos to YouTube. Here is the link to my YouTube Channel:

YouTube Logo

YouTube Logo

http://www.youtube.com/user/DannyRocksPowerPoint

 

YouTube reaches a very broad audience. It offers a very different experience. YouTube makes it very easy to share the videos that you like with your friends and colleagues. Check it out for yourself!

I must admit that I was wary about uploading my training videos to YouTube. However, I have had a very positive response to my MS Excel Videos on YouTube. So I have created a separate PowerPoint Channel and have begun to upload content from this website to YouTube.

If you want to share any of my Excel or PowerPoint Videos, YouTube make it easy to do so. You can even choose to embed the videos on your own website – go right ahead! I have included my business card at the beginning and the end of each video so that viewers know how to reach me.

Let me know what you think about YouTube. How is it different from this blog? Have you ever shared a video that you found on YouTube with your friends. Have you ever embedded a YouTube video on your own website?

I invite you to add your comments below.

News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

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Filed Under: PowerPoint, Powerpoint Techniques Tagged: , , ,
September 21, 2008 3 Comments

Calculate Data in Excel and Present it in PowerPoint

You can’t beat MS Excel when it comes to organizing, calculating & graphing data. However, when it comes to presenting data – especially to a large gathering of people –  then MS PowerPoint is the best choice.

The 50 Best Tips

The 50 Best Tips Series

However, too many people simply re-type their Excel data into PowerPoint. This wastes time and it is not the most effective way to present the data.

In this video lesson, I demonstrate five ways to Paste, Link, and Embed Excel data in PowerPoint:

Here are the steps to follow in this video lesson:

  1. In Excel, select and copy the data to the clipboard.
  2. In PowerPoint, select the slide to receive the data and Right Mouse Click to “Paste.”
  3. Look to the lower right-hand corner of the pasted data and click the Paste Options Menu.
  4. Paste Option – Keep Text Only. You can move and re-size the Text Box. You can edit and format any text entry.
  5. Paste Option – Picture of Table. You can move and re-size the picture. The Picture Toolbar is activated. This allows you to format the picture. You can not edit individual values – you only have a “picture” of your Excel data.
  6. Paste Option – Table. This is the Default option. Each entry is in it’s own cell. You can choose Rows and Columns to format, insert or delete.
  7. Paste Option – Excel Table (Entire Workbook) – With this option you actually “Embed” the Excel application. Double-click on the data to activate Excel. Make any changes you desire.
  8. Edit-Paste Special – Link. With this option you create a “live link” to the source data in Excel. Any changes to the Excel file are reflected on the PowerPoint slide. Be careful to keep the Excel file and the PowerPoint file in the same directory to prevent “losing the link.”

Find the Excel Video Lesson that you want – Index to all Excel Topics

News! My DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for Excel 2007” is now availabe to purchase. I invite you to visit my online bookstore for more details.

Related Videos

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Filed Under: Excel Training, Powerpoint Techniques, Tips and Time Savers Tagged: , , , , , ,
September 20, 2008 Leave a Comment

Work in Outline View in PowerPoint

MS PowerPoint’s Normal View has two Tabs – Slide View and Outline View.  In this video lesson, I will share tips for getting the most out of Outline View.

For example:

  • Collapse or Expand the text for individual Slides or for all Slides in the presentation.
  • Create a “Summary Slide” containing the titles for each slide in your presentation.
  • Insert Hyperlinks to text on your “Summary Slide” to make it easy to navigate to an individual slide.

Here are the steps to follow in this video lesson:

  • In Normal View, choose the Outline Tab.
  • Be sure that the Outlining Toolbar is active. (View – Toolbars – Outlining) You can either “dock it” or make it a “floating toolbar.”
  • Experiment with Expand and Collapse – Individual slides (Double-click or Expand on the toolbar) or All slides in the presentation.
  • Create a Duplicate Slide – The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+D or choose Insert-Duplicate Slide.
  • To create a “Summary Slide” first select the slide icons for the slides you want. Then click the Summary Slide Icon on the Outlining Toolbar.
  • Create a “Hyperlink” to quickly navigate to individual slides. First select the text on the “Summary Slide” and then use the keyboard shortcut – Ctrl+K and choose “Place in this Document” and choose the slide.
  • You must be in Slide Show View in order to test your Hyperlink.

Find the PowerPoint Video Lesson that you want – Index to all PowerPoint Topics

News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

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Filed Under: PowerPoint, Powerpoint Techniques Tagged: , , , , ,
September 19, 2008 1 Comment

My 5-Star Excel Video Lessons on YouTube

YouTube Logo

YouTube Logo

I have posted several of my MS Excel 2003 Video Lessons on YouTube. The YouTube community votes  or rates individual videos. I’d like to share the results with you. To make it easy for you to view a video that interests you, I have established “Hyperlinks” to take you directly to that video lesson. Simply click on the title and you can view the tutorial.

Here is a listing of my 5-Star Excel Videos on You Tube:

News! My DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for Excel 2007” is now availabe to purchase. I invite you to visit my online bookstore for more details.

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Filed Under: Excel Training, Most Viewed Excel Videos, YouTube Videos by Danny Rocks Tagged: , , , ,
September 18, 2008 1 Comment

The versatile and valuable =IF() Function

MS Excel’s =IF() Function is a very versatile function and it is used in a variety of situations. Watch this short video lesson to learn how to use it when Grading Scores, Calculating Shipping Rates and “Trapping Errors.”

Here are the steps to follow in this lesson:

  1. The =IF() Function requires three arguments: A “Logical Test” – (which will return either a TRUE of a FALSE Response); the Value if “True,” and the Value if “False.”
  2. In my first example I have set up a simple scoring system for grades. For the Value if TRUE, I have entered “Pass.” Notice that the TEXT must be enclosed in ” “.
  3. In my second example, I have “nested” several =IF() functions inside the Value if FALSE Function Argument. You can “nest” up to 7 different IF() Functions in a formula.
  4. Notice how useful the =IF() Function is when you want to “trap an error.” Especially when you are starting to build a spreadsheet and many cells contain Zeros or NULL Values.

Find the Excel Video Lesson that you want – Index to All Excel Topics

News! My DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for Excel 2007” is now availabe to purchase. I invite you to visit my online bookstore for more details.

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Filed Under: Excel Functions, Excel Training Tagged: , , , , , , ,
September 18, 2008 1 Comment

Don’t Retype! Import a MS Word Outline into PowerPoint

Today’s video tutorial is in response to a viewer’s request. She has a series of MS Word documents created as Outlines. Her new boss wants her to transfer the Outlines into MS PowerPoint. She really does not want to learn PowerPoint. And she definitely does not want to re-type her outlines.

Watch as I demonstrate three ways to import MS Word Outlines into MS PowerPoint.

50 Best Tips Series

50 Best Tips DVD

Here are the steps to follow in this video tutorial:

  • To create a new PowerPoint Presentation. From within PowerPoint, choose File, Open. In the “Files of Type” drop-down menu choose “All Outlines.
  • Be sure that your MS Word document with the outline is closed before you select it!
  • The MS Word Outline is quickly transformed into a PowerPoint Presentation!
  • For the 2nd technique, we are working inside MS Word. We do not have to leave the program. Simply choose File, Send To – MS Office PowerPoint. PowerPoint opens and the Word document is now a PowerPoint Presentation!
  • Tips: While working in MS Word – strip away all manually applied formats (Fonts, Bullet Points, etc.) A keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+A to “Select All” (of the document) and then Ctrl+Spacebar to “strip away all formats.”
  • Only use Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3 formatting in the Word Outline. All Heading 1 text becomes a new PowerPoint Slide. Each Heading 2 text selection becomes a “Bullet Point” in PowerPoint.
  • For the 3rd technique: While working on a PowerPoint presentation, first highlight the slide that you want to MS Word outline to appear after. Choose Insert – Slides from Outline and select the MS Word Document (be sure that you have closed it first.)

    • Find the PowerPoint Video Lesson that you want – Index to all PowerPoint Topics

    News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

     

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    Filed Under: Integrating MS Office Programs, PowerPoint, Powerpoint Techniques Tagged: , , ,
    September 16, 2008 Leave a Comment

    Tracking my WPM Count

    For my video blog entry yesterday – “Which Presentation Will You Deliver?” – I used a script. I am actually enjoying the discipline of writing and reading the script for these blog entries. My preferred style is to use an outline to guide me as I deliver my presentations. However, I find the “permanence” of an Internet blog demands a more disciplined approach.

    I am not a perfectionist. When recording my video blogs, I do a “straight take” – no pauses and no editing.  Of course, I abandon a recording that contains obvious “flubs” or false starts. But, I am content to publish a video blog entry that is less than perfect. I really don’t have the time to go back an re-record the occasional “vocal blemish.”

    How long?

    My biggest concern is the length of a video blog post. I do not want to condense my posts to fit some arbitrary time limit. My feeling is that if I have something to say, I should post what I want to say – adapting my delivery to fit the chosen media. If my message is compelling, a viewer will stay engaged. And, hopefully, return for more. If not … well, that is my problem. Only time, tracking and feedback from my viewers will help me to find the correct balance between content and time limit.

    Since I have been using a script for my recent videos, I have been able to track my Words-per-minute (WPM) count. For my “Which Presentation Will You Give” entry, the script contains 1,130 words. The video is 7 minutes and 17 seconds. This gives me a wpm count of @ 160. This is my normal speaking rate. This feels like a comfortable rate – to me. How does it feel it you?

    “Eye-Opening” Experience

    Recording my presentations has been “eye-opening” for me. Yes, I deliberately used the description “eye-opening.” I am paying more attention to the graphics and text that I choose for each slide in the PowerPoint presentation. I want to ensure that each slide serves a specific purpose.  Reinforcing my speech and not replacing it. Guiding my audience and not distracting them from my content.

    When I do a “live” presentation I never get to see how my slides interact with my speech. Recording  these short video blog posts allows me to see and analyze the presentation. Of course, there is a missing ingredient – the audience. You.

    So please give me your feedback. What do you think? Do I speak too fast or too slow for you to understand? Do I talk too much or for too long? Is the video blog format useful – for you? What topics would you like to see?

    You can email me – danny@thecompanyrocks.com – or add your comments below. I welcome your thoughts.

    News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

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    Filed Under: Powerpoint Techniques, Presentations, Words per Minute Tagged: , , , , ,
    September 15, 2008 1 Comment

    Which Presentation Will You Deliver?

    Dale Carnegie once wrote, “There are three speeches for the one you actually give. The one you practiced … The one you actually gave … and the one you wish you gave?”

    In this video lesson, Danny brings this principle to life. Follow these tips and you will consistently deliver “the presentation that you wish you gave!”

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    Filed Under: Powerpoint Techniques, Speaking Tagged: , , ,
    September 9, 2008 Leave a Comment

    An experiment – do you prefer the written article or the spoken PowerPoint?

    The Written Word

    Yesterday, I published an article – “How Many Words per Minute (WPM) Do You Speak?”

    The Spoken Word

    Today, I recorded a PowerPoint presentation based on that article – “Did I Get My WPM Count Just Right?

    Both postings discuss the same topic – How fast or slow do you speak? What is your spoken words-per-minute (WPM) count. Each posting offers a different experience.

    I had a different experience while creating and recording the PowerPoint presentation. I needed to add extra words to assist the viewer. Both the video and the article are designed to “stand alone.” However, I felt that the video “needed more explanation.” I had to remember that the viewer could hit the “back button control” on their web browser at any moment!

    Write Your Presentations / Practice Speaking Your Words

    Perhaps it was just the experience of speaking my written words aloud. A practice that I recommend that all writers and editors try at least occasionally. Perhaps it was just me “wishing that I had taken more time in editing yesterday’s article.” A case of “writer’s remorse?

    I hope that you will take some time to read the article AND to view the PowerPoint presentation. I welcome your feedback. Which medium did you prefer – and why? What would you like to see more of? Less of?

    Please add your comments below. Or you can email your comments to me – danny@thecompanyrocks.com

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    Filed Under: Business Communications, Presentations, Public Speaking, Words per Minute Tagged: , , , , , ,
    September 9, 2008 10 Comments

    Did I get My WPM Count Just Right?

    As a follow-up to yesterday’s article, I produced a PowerPoint Presentation on the topic of “words-per-minute( WPM) when speaking. Watch – and Listen – this video recording. Am I speaking “too fast”- for you? “Too slow” – for you? Or, is my WPM count “Just right” – for you?

    Yesterday’s written article is 515 words in length. At a normal WPM count of 150, that would make it @ 3 minutes and 45 seconds long. That is a good length for broadcast via the Internet in my experience.

    As I was creating the PowerPoint slide presentation, I realized that I would have to add a few words to the narration. I wanted to ensure that it would make sense to viewers watching the presentation- even with the added visual aids and the graphics on the slides. And, of course, I did deviate from the script occasionally. As best I can determine, this presentation contains 600 words and the video lasts 5 minutes. So my WPM is 120.

    This is much slower than my normal speaking rate (close to 160 WPM.) I wasn’t trying to purposely slow down. After three practice runs, this is the pace that felt natural to me.

    What do you think? Is my WPM “Just right” – for you?

    Please share your comments with our readers and viewers below.

    News! My new DVD, “The 50 Best Tips for PowerPoint 2007” is available for purchase. Visit my online store for details.

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    Filed Under: Powerpoint Techniques, Words per Minute Tagged: , , , ,
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