How to Use an Action on PowerPoint 2007

PowerPoint presentations don't have to be static and linear.

Most of the time PowerPoint presentations are used to step through slides one at a time from beginning to end, but sometimes it's necessary to jump around. Action buttons allow you to jump to different places in a slideshow, not unlike a choose-your-own-adventure book. You can also have actions that will play a sound, launch a slideshow or even another program. If you're running a PowerPoint at a kiosk or sending it to someone for a Web-based training, actions buttons can transform PowerPoint into an interactive environment.

Instructions

Action Buttons

1. Open the slide in PowerPoint where you want to use an action. Click the "Insert" tab then click "Shape." Choose one of the action buttons from the bottom of the list that pops up. There are several buttons with formatting already included. For example "Previous," "Next," "First" and "Last" buttons.

2. Specify the action that the button will cause when you click on it during a presentation. A dialog box will automatically pop up with the pre-formatted action included. Change the "Hyperlink" to a specific slide or even choose to launch a different slideshow. Use the "Run Program" feature to launch a different application on your computer when the button is clicked.

3. Click "OK" when you've selected the action you want for the button. Note, you can select different actions based on clicking or just rolling the mouse over the button. Click the "Mouse Over" tab in the dialog box to define that behavior. For example, you can have the Action Button make a sound when you move your mouse over it.

Custom Action Items

1. Click any text, picture or clip-art in your presentation that you want to perform an action. Click "Insert" then click "Action."

2. Choose the action you want in the dialog box that appears. You can choose actions for a mouse click or rolling the mouse over the object based on the tabs in the dialog box. Hyperlinks move to different slides in the presentation, different slideshows, website URLs or even other documents. The Run Program feature allows you launch a different application on your computer. Check the box down at the bottom to have the Action play a sound.

3. Click "OK" when you're done formatting the Action. Press "F5" on the keyboard to launch the presentation and test the Action you created.

References

• Microsoft Office: Assign an Action to a Built-in Button or Picture
• Microsoft Office: Change the Action Settings of a Button, Picture, or Clip Art