how to merge powerpoint presentations

how to merge powerpoint presentations

Effective Strategies for Merging PowerPoint Presentations

1. Introduction to Merging PowerPoint Presentations

Many companies and individuals have multiple PowerPoint presentations for various modules, and they wish to merge those presentations into a single comprehensive file. This is because a single presentation appeals to the companies, and it also helps the trainers as they can alter it or develop new training content when they wish to do so. It is apparent that merging PowerPoint presentations is really important.

However, sometimes users may face challenges when working in PowerPoint, including a large PowerPoint file taking a long time to process, merge activities needing a PowerPoint expert, and slow steps leading to infrequent file relocation. This tutorial details how to combine multiple PowerPoint presentations into a single group of slides with the Transitional effect on PowerPoint’s Slide Show tab, thus executing the appearance as a connected set.

Merging PowerPoint Documents This complicated topic will provide readers with knowledge on merging PowerPoint presentations. This file is divided into the following sections. Section II addresses merging two PowerPoint files into one. Steps to carry out this process are included as well as a screenshot of the PowerPoint slide. Section III describes merging multiple presentations into one. The next provides instruction and screenshots that should be taken to merge four PowerPoint files.

2. Methods for Merging Presentations

If merging PowerPoint presentations can result in a better fleet of slides or a wonderful change, then let’s do it, and let’s do it effectively.

You might use a few different ways to combine multiple presentations into a single file. In the ‘PowerPoint 2016: Merging Presentations’ smart video you’re about to watch, you discussed everything from the traditional ways presenters did back in the day to the quickest of all the methods shown in this list. You can see some additional information in that tutorial (transcription) as well.

In the traditional way, you have to open both presentations, move one presentation’s slides (from panel to panel), and then close the source presentation. In these three methods, the magenta slides (often referred to as source presentation slides, as they are for us to import) were kept open in the old presentation or source presentation in the pane or panel on the left and highlighted, not selected, with the most magenta one on top (third or second one if your current presentation only had 1 slide). Without moving them from the source presentation, you “resort to” leaving them in the presentation pane or panel, opening another presentation file, positioning the cursor inside the “slide details” section, and “haul in” the source slides. The first method was to copy, and the third method was to either copy or move. Everything else in these was all user preference, depending on how you want your import to function. Using it can and will transform every duplicate yet distinct slide into its own respective layout.

3. Best Practices for a Seamless Merge

When merging PowerPoint presentations together, it is important to ensure that the final product appears cohesive and polished. To get the best results, it is recommended to apply some best practices that help achieve a seamless merge. A very sharp presenter might know that they are combining different files, but it should never show in the final product. Make sure the formatting applied is the same throughout, check the file size, and finally take the time to review the content.

The primary reason you are merging those presentations in the first place might be that there are multiple subjects or different aspects of one topic. But again: While you might want to maintain elements like footers throughout to keep it all packaged together, formatting applied should be the same throughout. When merging old presentations to new content, be sure to update the formatting to any new brand or styles. Background images and colors should usually coordinate with one another or represent a professional, formal aesthetic. Accelerating file sizes using best practices also prevents potential headaches. PowerPoint files can range from a few megabytes to large files of tens to hundreds of megabytes if improperly optimized. Presentation file sizes are particularly sensitive to high-resolution images and video files. Be mindful when you add high-res images and/or video to slides. Ensure that you are compressing media and optimizing images for the web—experts say images shouldn’t go above a megabyte and videos should be no more than 200 megabytes. Cut back where files can be compressed and ensure all devices can open the final product without hours of waiting for the presentation to load. It adds to the annoyances of incohesion more than the presenter’s intention to orchestrate a seamless, comprehensive presentation otherwise. An important step in merging PowerPoints is to ensure a comprehensive view. Just because you are the creator of the presentations doesn’t mean the final merge is intuitive and adequately combined. Combining different brains and thought processes allows inconsistencies or competing interests within the merged content to emerge. The only way to make sure the content is sound and cohesive is to review the entire deck post-merge. Make note of what might seem off or awkwardly presented, sections that seem overly-Libraean with their overall wordiness and those that seem to be telling the same story with only slightly different details. Presenters must put themselves in the audience’s collective, socially distant shoes and ask if something feels off. If the answer is a resounding “meh” then get creative with diagram creation, icon representation or better, easier verbiage—a combination might even be in order. Either way, removing redundancies and simplifying the fountains of wordiness where possible is always going to be a great idea.

4. Advanced Techniques and Tools for Merging Presentations

The previous section addressed more basic ways to merge some or all of the slides from multiple PowerPoint presentations into one cohesive project. This section looks at more advanced techniques for those who are interested in creating an impressive final document.

Research for more exacting results: A number of advanced features and methods for customizing which slides to merge and how to merge them are available through the use of a search engine or video platform tutorials. Most, if not all, of these offer guides on how to add even more specialized detail to your slide merge through the use of present-day PowerPoint and its numerous functions and applications.

Tools to merge slides that exceed standard Microsoft features: Although Microsoft PowerPoint offers many tools for file merging that can easily be found in the “File” or “Tools” tabs, many people prefer third-party applications (such as “SlideMerge” found in the cloud) or free software programs that can handle more files with greater refinements, and that don’t require an internet connection to run. Since the PowerPoint software with “SlideMerge” can do some fancy merging not found in Microsoft’s function set, this could be the tool for someone who is looking to add that little extra precision to their file merge.