COMPUTER APPLICATION
(UNIT-4) – MS POWREPOINT
Power point
PPT is defined as a digital slideshow made with Microsoft PowerPoint, a well-
known software application of Microsoft Office. PPT is usually used for visual
presentations that include several slides made up of texts, images, graphics, and
multimedia elements like videos and animations. This software is used in many different
fields like educational institutions, offices, conferences, and business meetings to share
information, data, and even messages with the help of a set of visual slides in an
organized and presentable manner.
What is a PPT
What is PPT: Full Form of PPT
PPT stands for PowerPoint Presentation. It refers to a collection of slides that contain
various types of content such as text, images, charts, graphs, videos, animations, and
more. PowerPoint presentations are used for delivering information in a visual format,
often accompanied by a speaker’s narration or explanations.
Key Features PowerPoint
PowerPoint is packed with features designed to create professional presentations. Here
are some of the key features:
Slide Layouts: PowerPoint offers multiple slide layouts to help users design their
presentations easily, including title slides, content slides, and blank slides.
SmartArt: A tool used for creating diagrams such as flowcharts, organizational charts,
and process diagrams to visually represent information.
Animations and Transitions: These features add movement to text, images, and other
elements. Animations can be applied to individual objects, while transitions define
how one slide moves to the next.
Themes and Templates: PowerPoint offers a variety of built-in themes and templates
that allow users to customize their slides with different colors, fonts, and design
elements.
Charts and Graphs: PowerPoint includes tools for adding visual representations of
data, including bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts, making it easier to convey
complex data in an understandable way.
Multimedia Integration: PowerPoint supports multimedia files, including audio,
video, and GIFs, allowing users to embed media into presentations for added
engagement.
Collaboration: PowerPoint allows users to work together on a presentation in real-
time using Microsoft 365, making it an ideal tool for team collaborations.
File Extensions of PPT
PPT files typically use extensions like .ppt, .pps, and .potm, which indicate the type of
content. These file extensions can be changed when saving the file in Microsoft Office.
.ppt: Standard file extension for PowerPoint presentations, containing slides with text,
images, and multimedia.
.pps: PowerPoint Slide Show file, designed to open directly in slideshow mode,
without showing the editing interface.
.potm: PowerPoint template file with macros, used to create presentations with
predefined designs and content, including macros for automation.
To Learn more about difference between ppt and pptx click here
Functions of PowerPoint (PPT)
PowerPoint serves multiple functions depending on the needs of the user. Below are the
primary functions of PPT:
Presentation Creation: PowerPoint is primarily used for creating presentations. Users
can combine text, images, videos, and other media elements to create dynamic and
informative slideshows.
Visual Storytelling: PowerPoint enhances the storytelling experience by presenting
information visually. It helps narrate a message, highlight key points, and engage an
audience.
Business Presentations: PowerPoint is essential for delivering business proposals,
reports, sales presentations, and training sessions. It allows businesses to create
visually appealing presentations that keep the audience engaged.
Education and Training: Teachers and educators use PowerPoint to present lessons,
lectures, and educational materials. It helps them break down complex subjects,
making them easier to understand for students.
Marketing and Advertising: PowerPoint is also widely used in the marketing field to
design and present marketing strategies, advertising campaigns, product pitches, and
promotional presentations.
Project Management: PowerPoint is useful for illustrating timelines, milestones, and
project roadmaps, especially when combined with charts, graphs, and SmartArt.
Data Visualization: PowerPoint allows users to turn raw data into visual formats,
helping the audience understand trends, comparisons, and key insights quickly.
Uses of PowerPoint Presentation (PPT)
PowerPoint is widely used across different sectors for various purposes. Below are some
of the most common uses:
1. Corporate and Business Presentations
In the corporate world, PowerPoint presentations are frequently used to present quarterly
reports, business strategies, proposals, financial data, and project updates. Professionals
use PowerPoint to make data-driven, visually engaging presentations that are easy for the
audience to understand.
2. Academic and Educational Purposes
PowerPoint is widely used by teachers, professors, and students in academic settings.
Educators use PowerPoint to create lectures, tutorials, and interactive classroom lessons.
Students also use PowerPoint to create presentations for assignments, projects, and
seminars.
3. Marketing and Sales Pitches
PowerPoint is an invaluable tool for marketers and sales professionals. It's used to create
persuasive sales presentations, product demos, and marketing campaigns. By using high-
quality visuals and charts, presenters can communicate key selling points effectively.
4. Public Speaking and Conference Presentations
Public speakers and conference presenters use PowerPoint to guide their presentations.
PowerPoint helps speakers illustrate key points with charts, images, and videos, ensuring
the audience stays engaged and can follow the talk more easily.
5. Personal Projects and Events
PowerPoint isn't just for businesses and educators; it's also great for personal projects.
Users can create presentations for family events, weddings, birthday parties, and more,
adding images, videos, and text to create a memorable experience.
6. Data Analysis and Reporting
PowerPoint plays a significant role in the field of data analysis. Analysts use the software
to display data in charts and graphs, creating reports that are easier to understand than
raw data. It helps organizations make better decisions based on visualized information.
PowerPoint Presentation (PPT) vs Google Slides: Which is Better
Feature PowerPoint (PPT) Google Slides
Requires installation on Web-based, accessible from any
Accessibility Windows/macOS, part of device with an internet
Microsoft Office connection.
Allows collaboration via OneDrive Real-time collaboration, multiple
Collaboration and SharePoint but can be less users can edit the presentation at
user-friendly the same time.
Requires a Microsoft Office
Price license, usually a one-time Free with a Google account.
purchase or subscription
Primarily online, with limited
Offline Can be used offline once installed
offline access via browser
Access on a device
extensions.
Basic and straightforward
Advanced features for complex,
Features features suitable for simple
visually appealing presentations
presentations.
In conclusion, if you need powerful features and complex designs, PowerPoint is the
better choice. If you're looking for a free, collaborative tool that's easy to use, Google
Slides is a great option.
Advantages of PowerPoint Presentation (PPT)
Advanced Features – Offers a variety of design, animation, and transition options for
creating engaging presentations.
Offline Access – Works without an internet connection once installed on a computer.
High Compatibility – PowerPoint presentations can be easily shared and opened on
different systems.
Pre-designed Templates – Provides built-in templates and themes to simplify
presentation design.
Export Options – Allows exporting presentations as videos or PDFs for easy sharing
on platforms like YouTube.
Multiple Formats – Presentations can be saved in various formats, making them
accessible even without PowerPoint.
Disadvantages of PowerPoint (PPT)
Costly – Requires a paid Microsoft Office license, which can be expensive.
Limited Accessibility – Primarily designed for Windows and Mac, limiting usability
on other operating systems.
Collaboration Issues – Not as seamless as cloud-based tools like Google Slides.
Complex for Beginners – Advanced features require time and effort to learn.
Overuse of Slides – Too many slides, text, or animations can overwhelm and bore the
audience.
Time-Consuming – Designing a visually appealing presentation takes more effort
than simpler alternatives.
PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint is essentially a graphics presentation software application that comes
in the same package of software as MS Access, MS Excel, MS Word, and MS Paint, issued
by Microsoft Office. It is a software that helps the user in formulating and arranging their
data and information in the form of slides, which enhances the clarity and communication
of the subject, along with adding a visual aspect to the data which makes it more appealing
and presentable.
Thus, it can be used for presenting business ideas and plans, and visually presenting the
data also makes learning with the data a lot easier, thus can be used by teachers in schools
for making learning fun and uncomplicated.
Meaning of PowerPoint
PowerPoint is a software that is designed to make graphical presentations in the form of
individual pages also known as slides.
Features of PowerPoint
Some of the features available in Microsoft PowerPoint are stated below.
Customising Colour Schemes
Adding Animations
Creating and Adding tables
Adding images
Adding and Managing Hyperlinks
Creating Custom Shows
Creating and Importing Charts
Easy exporting to MS Word
How to Start PowerPoint?
To Start PowerPoint:
Click on Start
Start Icon
Click the following in sequence stated: All Programs->Microsoft Office-
>Microsoft Office PowerPoint
Starting PowerPoint
The Microsoft Office PowerPoint window will appear, starting the software.
How to Open a Blank Presentation?
By default, when we open PowerPoint for the first time, it opens to a new presentation but
for future purposes, if we want to open a new presentation, we can do so by following the
below-given steps.
Click on New Presentation link on Getting Started pane on the left which results in
the appearance of a new window.
Select on Blank Presentation, when the new presentation appears along with it a
Layout pane on the right will also appear.
Select any desired layout from the list.
Opening a New Presentation
Uses of PowerPoint
Uses of PowerPoint in Education:
Since PowerPoint offers the feature of adding images and animations, learning by
visualisation makes the learning experience more fun and simplified, and
researchers state that visual information is retained for a longer amount of time thus
it makes the whole process more beneficial.
Uses of PowerPoint in Business:
Business is mainly about creating a well-laid out roadmap and planning for the
project at hand and then executing it. With PowerPoint we can assure a more
organised output with a solid structure.
Uses of PowerPoint for Government and Citizen Services:
PowerPoint is also a good option, from other software bundled within MS Office,
for storing records and since it's also printable, it provides easy access to the
records for government and citizen services to the seekers.
Presentation Rules
These rules are guidelines to help ensure your presentations are concise, engaging, and
easy to read.
10/20/30 Rule: Coined by Guy Kawasaki, this rule suggests a presentation should have no
more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes, and use a minimum font size of 30
points.
1/6/6 Rule: A variation of the 6x6 rule, this guideline recommends focusing on one main
idea per slide, using a maximum of six bullet points, and no more than six words per bullet
point.
5/5/5 Rule: This rule advises using no more than five words per line of text, five lines of
text per slide, and a maximum of five text-heavy slides in a row.
666 Rule: Similar to the rules above, this version suggests no more than six bullet
points per slide, no more than six words per bullet point, and only six text-heavy slides in
the entire presentation.
33 Words Rule: This guideline is a variation or extension of the other word-count rules,
generally suggesting limiting the total number of words on a single slide to approximately
33 words to prevent text overload and keep the audience focused on the speaker.
Best Font for PowerPoint
The best fonts for presentations are generally sans-serif fonts due to their superior
readability on digital screens and projectors, even from a distance.
Recommended Fonts:
Verdana: Known for its tall lowercase letters and wide spacing, it's highly readable and
compatible with both Windows and Mac systems.
Calibri: The former default for Microsoft Office, it's a simple, clean font that works well
for various uses.
Arial/Helvetica: Classic sans-serif fonts that are widely available and very clear.
Tahoma: A favorite suitable for different screen sizes and devices.
Aptos: Microsoft's new default font for Microsoft 365, designed for high readability across
devices.
Open Sans, Lato, Roboto: Modern, clean, and versatile sans-serif fonts widely used for
professional slides.
Tips for Font Usage:
Stick to two fonts: Use one font for headings and another for body text to maintain a clean
and professional look.
Ensure high contrast: Use light-colored text on a dark background or dark text on a light
background.
Avoid decorative or script fonts for body text as they can be hard to read.
Test your presentation on a projector to ensure the text is legible from the back of the
room.
Animation
Animation is the method of creating the illusion of movement through a series of
images or objects, and its presentation impact is that it makes information more engaging
and understandable. Key methods include 2D and 3D computer-generated graphics, motion
graphics, and stop-motion, while its impact on presentations involves capturing attention,
simplifying complex ideas, increasing retention, and improving overall communication.
Methods of animation
2D Animation: Involves creating images in a two-dimensional space, often using
techniques like hand-drawn frames or computer-generated graphics.
3D Animation: Also known as CGI, this method uses computer graphics to create three-
dimensional models with a "skeleton" that animators can manipulate to create movement.
Motion Graphics: The art of animating graphic elements like text, logos, or shapes to give
the illusion of motion, often used for commercial or promotional purposes.
Stop Motion: A technique where physical objects are photographed in a series of small
movements, and the resulting images are played back in sequence to create the illusion of
movement.
Motion Paths: A presentation-specific method that controls how objects move around a
slide, from simple up-and-down movement to custom paths.
Morph: A transition effect in presentation software that smoothly animates objects from
one slide to the next.
59s
How to Create this Modern Animated PowerPoint Slide (Step ...
One Skill PPT
YouTube • 2 Nov 2025
Impact of presentation animation
Increases engagement: Animation captures and holds the audience's attention, making the
presentation more dynamic and less likely to be ignored compared to static text or images.
Enhances understanding: It can simplify complex concepts by presenting them through
visuals, making information easier to grasp for all learners, especially visual learners (65%
of the population).
Improves retention: By making the content more memorable, animation helps the audience
retain the information presented.
Emphasizes key points: Animation draws the eye to important information, helping to
guide the audience's focus and making key takeaways stand out.
Manages flow of information: It can be used to control the pace of the presentation by
revealing information in a specific order, preventing the audience from being
overwhelmed.
Adds a professional touch: Well-executed animation can make a presentation look more
polished and professional, creating a better overall impression.