Embedded Word Tables and Excel Charts in PPT

[Mikey]

Hi folks,

(Using PPT 2000)

As part of my job in the market research industry, I'm constantly creating
reports and presentations in PPT (which seems to be the standard). The
nature of these reports requires an extensive variety of chart types as well
as a plethora of tables. Because I find the native table and chart
capabilities of PPT less than desirable, I've opted to use embedded word
tables and embedded excel charts (the theory being to use the strengths of
each application).

There are plenty of functions I use with Word tables tables that are just
not available in native PPT tables. By the same token, excel charts have a
lot of capabilities I frequently use that are not available with MS Graph.

Recently, my company purchased a product which allows me to automatically
populate native PPT tables and charts directly from the data source. The
product itself is quite 'cool', but unfortunately, it does not support
embedded Word and Excel objects. That means I'm still restricted to
formatting and capabilities of native PPT tables and charts.

My question to those that have tried the beta version of PPT 2007 is: Has
MS made updates to PPT's native table and charting functionality so that one
would no longer require embedded excel and word objects?

Many thanks,
Mike

 

[Echo S]

Yes.

Tables look tons better. I still find it difficult to align numbers on a
decimal, but other than that, the PPT tables actually look much better than
the Word tables now. I haven't yet experimented with doing the table in Word
or Excel and bringing it into PPT. I hear that works great, though, so if
that process gives me the text handling of Word and the styles in PPT, then
I'll be a happy camper.

As far as charting, well, charting in PPT is now all done in Excel anyway
(when you add a chart in PPT 2007, Excel opens with our familiar dummy data
and a sample chart on the slide), so having to do the whole
linking/embedding/paste special thing with charts is a thing of the past.
And charts are much easier to make look great because of the new Office Art
and the way charts now work. However, I do believe power users will struggle
to find some of the charting tools we rely on.

Take a test drive to see for yourself:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/beta/testdrive.mspx?showIntro=n

 

[Mikey]

Thanks for the info Echo. It seems like PPT 2007 has made many useful
improvements that I can take advantage of. I'm going to have to give it a
try.

Just a couple quick questions:

1. Do the new PPT tables allow you 'distribute columns/rows' evenly as in
Word.
2. Again with tables, do PPT tables now have the same control features found
in "table properties" in Word (row height, cell indents, etc.)?

Thanks again.

Yes.

Tables look tons better. I still find it difficult to align numbers on a
decimal, but other than that, the PPT tables actually look much better than
the Word tables now. I haven't yet experimented with doing the table in Word
or Excel and bringing it into PPT. I hear that works great, though, so if
that process gives me the text handling of Word and the styles in PPT, then
I'll be a happy camper.

As far as charting, well, charting in PPT is now all done in Excel anyway
(when you add a chart in PPT 2007, Excel opens with our familiar dummy data
and a sample chart on the slide), so having to do the whole
linking/embedding/paste special thing with charts is a thing of the past.
And charts are much easier to make look great because of the new Office Art
and the way charts now work. However, I do believe power users will struggle
to find some of the charting tools we rely on.

Take a test drive to see for yourself:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/beta/testdrive.mspx?showIntro=n

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/
PPTLive! Sept 17-20, 2006 http://www.pptlive.com

Hi folks,

(Using PPT 2000)

As part of my job in the market research industry, I'm constantly creating
reports and presentations in PPT (which seems to be the standard). The
nature of these reports requires an extensive variety of chart types as
well
as a plethora of tables. Because I find the native table and chart
capabilities of PPT less than desirable, I've opted to use embedded word
tables and embedded excel charts (the theory being to use the strengths of
each application).

There are plenty of functions I use with Word tables tables that are just
not available in native PPT tables. By the same token, excel charts have
a
lot of capabilities I frequently use that are not available with MS Graph.

Recently, my company purchased a product which allows me to automatically
populate native PPT tables and charts directly from the data source. The
product itself is quite 'cool', but unfortunately, it does not support
embedded Word and Excel objects. That means I'm still restricted to
formatting and capabilities of native PPT tables and charts.

My question to those that have tried the beta version of PPT 2007 is: Has
MS made updates to PPT's native table and charting functionality so that
one
would no longer require embedded excel and word objects?

Many thanks,
Mike

 

[Echo S]

Hi, Mickey.

Yes, there are "distribute columns" and a "distribute rows" on the Table
Format ribbon that appears when you select a table. One-click distribution!
(Actually, these are also available in PPT 2003 on the Tables and Borders
toolbar -- and probably 2002 and 2000 as well, but I can't recall for sure.)

Also, there's a "margins" button which allows you to set the internal margin
of the cells. (This is also available in 2003, but it's pretty well hidden.
Select the table and Format|Table or right-click and choose Borders and
Fill. You'll see a "textbox" tab. The internal cell margins are there. If
you click in a specific cell or select cells, the internal margins will
apply to those, not to the entire table.)

We do have cell height and width input boxes now in 2007, too.

Also, just to explain the "take the test drive" thing -- it's a way you can
see what the new Office 2007 programs are like without having to actually
install the beta. You can actually go in and do stuff, so you can insert a
table and see if the specific features you're after are there. [Not that I
mind checking on features -- it helps me learn what's available! Just
thought you or others following the thread might like to know you can indeed
see for yourselves, too. ]

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/
PPTLive! Sept 17-20, 2006 http://www.pptlive.com

Thanks for the info Echo. It seems like PPT 2007 has made many useful
improvements that I can take advantage of. I'm going to have to give it a
try.

Just a couple quick questions:

1. Do the new PPT tables allow you 'distribute columns/rows' evenly as in
Word.
2. Again with tables, do PPT tables now have the same control features
found
in "table properties" in Word (row height, cell indents, etc.)?

Thanks again.

Yes.

Tables look tons better. I still find it difficult to align numbers on a
decimal, but other than that, the PPT tables actually look much better
than
the Word tables now. I haven't yet experimented with doing the table in
Word
or Excel and bringing it into PPT. I hear that works great, though, so if
that process gives me the text handling of Word and the styles in PPT,
then
I'll be a happy camper.

As far as charting, well, charting in PPT is now all done in Excel anyway
(when you add a chart in PPT 2007, Excel opens with our familiar dummy
data
and a sample chart on the slide), so having to do the whole
linking/embedding/paste special thing with charts is a thing of the past.
And charts are much easier to make look great because of the new Office
Art
and the way charts now work. However, I do believe power users will
struggle
to find some of the charting tools we rely on.

Take a test drive to see for yourself:
http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/beta/testdrive.mspx?showIntro=n

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP] http://www.echosvoice.com
What's new in PPT 2007? http://www.echosvoice.com/2007.htm
Fixing PowerPoint Annoyances
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/powerpointannoy/
PPTLive! Sept 17-20, 2006 http://www.pptlive.com

Hi folks,

(Using PPT 2000)

As part of my job in the market research industry, I'm constantly
creating
reports and presentations in PPT (which seems to be the standard). The
nature of these reports requires an extensive variety of chart types as
well
as a plethora of tables. Because I find the native table and chart
capabilities of PPT less than desirable, I've opted to use embedded
word
tables and embedded excel charts (the theory being to use the strengths
of
each application).

There are plenty of functions I use with Word tables tables that are
just
not available in native PPT tables. By the same token, excel charts
have
a
lot of capabilities I frequently use that are not available with MS
Graph.

Recently, my company purchased a product which allows me to
automatically
populate native PPT tables and charts directly from the data source.
The
product itself is quite 'cool', but unfortunately, it does not support
embedded Word and Excel objects. That means I'm still restricted to
formatting and capabilities of native PPT tables and charts.

My question to those that have tried the beta version of PPT 2007 is:
Has
MS made updates to PPT's native table and charting functionality so
that
one
would no longer require embedded excel and word objects?

Many thanks,
Mike

 

[Echo S]

Hi, Mickey.

Whoops, sorry, Mike-Mikey.

Echo