Apr 30, 2020

How to become a PowerPoint wizard?

ChasingTheBag - Certified Professional
ChasingTheBag
Gorilla PE
Subscribe

To all the PowerPoint wizards who can churn out gorgeous decks quickly:

What resources did you use to learn shortcuts, become better at designing layouts and improve overall efficiency in PowerPoint? Do you have any tips/advice for custom shortcuts or any other efficiency hacks ?

Region
United States - Midwest
Subscribe
  • 3
7 Comments
 
Ex-MBB's picture
Monkey CO
6y

1) The macros MBB firms have increases speed to output. 2) If you don't have macros there are certain routine shortcuts like Excel (google) 3) Slide writing is an art and it'll take time--you'll not be able to make beautiful slides on day one.

You need to invest time reviewing prior decks created, learn the art of storytelling--there is so much to unpack there . Some people are also naturally gifted--as it requires some degree of artistic skills

Most important thing **: Create a deck library to store templates--any interesting, fascinating, new way of data depiction you come across--once you have a collection of about 50-100 pages **ALWAYS use a premade template to populate a slide. You'll never have a writers block

Reply
Quote
Report
Other
  • 2
 
EVADCFer - Certified Professional
Neanderthal IB
6y

FMVA programm from the Corporate Finance Institute has a great Power Point and pitchbooking course which I took and it really helped. Definitely recommended.

Reply
Quote
Report
Other
  • 1
“Destiny is a gift. Some go their entire lives, living existences of quiet desperation, never learning the truth that what feels as though a burden pushing down upon their shoulders is really a sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights. Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor, that to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what it means to be a hero. Don’t think. Become.”
 
StrapYourBoots - Certified Professional
King Kong O
6y

Lots of practice. Open up ppts that have designs you like and see how they made them. Try recreating similar designs and you'll start picking up neat things you can do in ppt.

It's a lot more robust that just a presentation platform and the design potential is limitless.

Reply
Quote
Report
Other
  • 1
"Out the garage is how you end up in charge It's how you end up in penthouses, end up in cars, it's how you Start off a curb servin', end up a boss"
 
Another planet - Certified Professional
Senior Baboon PE
6y
Most Helpful
  1. Make sure everything is aligned (don’t do it manually, PowerPoint has an align function. Make sure you make aligning an alt + [number] shortcut by putting it in the status bar at the top)
  2. Get some timesaver templates to see ready made examples of how you can display information (get some from buddies in other firms too to get even more inspiration)
  3. Use icons, especially when you’re trying to list ideas (e.g. the aviation industry will experience a. reduction in passengers, b. routes reduction, c. drop in airport revenues —> use icons to display a. b. c. concepts); there’s websites like flat icon that have plenty if your internal templates don’t have them already
  4. Use Thinckcell
  5. Make sure your presentation makes it a nice story; if you copy paste all titles into a word documents and read them from start to end does it flow? is it full of insightful and tangible information as opposed to have super generic words like “complex” or “challenging” (so what? how complex that really is? is it because it will take too much time, lack external resources, market events, etc.). Building the storyline should be your first step, a bit like doing some proper upfront planning when then slide making becomes mere execution

lastly, print your slides for a final review. There are many inconsistencies you would otherwise struggle to see on a screen.

Reply
Quote
Report
Other
  • 3
 
O
Prospect in Other
Gorilla
6y

Est voluptatum id id voluptates voluptatem pariatur harum. Laboriosam deleniti eum rerum qui. Nihil doloremque aspernatur explicabo vel ad. Occaecati tenetur natus libero excepturi est qui. Quam et veniam accusantium voluptatum quis iure.

Labore vel et et. Qui asperiores dolorum vero eum deserunt. Ipsa consequatur odit quia modi. Vel distinctio odio aut dolorum.

Qui voluptates expedita tempora eos similique. Voluptatum repudiandae laudantium atque quas nemo illo. Repellendus fuga consequatur earum rerum rerum quia magni officiis. Esse voluptas reprehenderit rem a ea nihil ab consequatur.

A quaerat doloribus ipsa aut sint ipsam. At nobis possimus sit laudantium libero eligendi. Quia quaerat inventore laudantium non. Deserunt vitae at quaerat inventore voluptas nostrum. Dignissimos nam enim velit consequuntur commodi. Quo repellat minus et quod et sint.

See All Comments - 100% Free

WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)

Reply
Quote
Report
Other
Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - 1st Year AssociateCertified Private Equity Pro

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Consulting

  • Partner (4) $361
  • Principal (30) $294
  • Director/MD (58) $274
  • Vice President (53) $247
  • Engagement Manager (111) $232
  • Manager (167) $172
  • 2nd Year Associate (185) $142
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (114) $134
  • Senior Consultant (354) $132
  • Consultant (634) $122
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (162) $121
  • 1st Year Associate (575) $121
  • NA (16) $114
  • Engineer (6) $114
  • 2nd Year Analyst (390) $104
  • Associate Consultant (175) $100
  • 1st Year Analyst (1150) $90
  • Intern/Summer Associate (205) $83
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (624) $67
View CO Report

Career Resources

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever		 99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon		 99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking		 99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62		 99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar		 98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17		 98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory		 98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker		 98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman		 98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up		 98.8
View all