How to make PPT: steps to create a complete slideshow from scratch

Key points of this article

Before you start, write down what the audience should remember and decide. This sentence determines the number of pages and the content of each page.
Use an outline to determine the order of chapters first, and only write one concluding sentence on each page before entering into layout. This can avoid having to start over halfway.
Using a unified set of fonts and two to three main colors for the entire text makes it easier to create a neat and professional feel than frequently changing fancy effects.
The data should be checked one by one against the original data. Do not modify it from memory. The title of the chart should directly state the conclusion it illustrates.
After finishing, open it on another device, check whether the fonts and pictures are misaligned, and ask a colleague to go over it quickly.

When many people are doing PPT, they open a blank page and start piling up text and pictures. Halfway through, they find that the logic doesn't make sense and they have to overthrow it and start over. This PPT production tutorial is written for readers who need to make work reports, course presentations or project plans, but have no design foundation. It talks about the general production sequence and has nothing to do with the specific software used.

By following this sequence, you will have a clear idea of the structure before starting to type. The full text is developed in the order of "setting the purpose, setting up an outline, filling in page by page, unifying the format, and checking the delivery", and finally gives a set of operational steps that can be followed.

How to make PPT? First set the purpose, then create an outline, and finally format a one-sentence conclusion.

First answer "What does this PPT want the audience to remember and make decisions", then use the outline to determine the number of pages and the conclusion of each page, and finally enter the layout and beautification. The table below provides suggestions for common situations.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
Work reports, explaining progress to leaders	Write a conclusion first, and then list three or four supporting evidence.	The audience's time is limited, so read the conclusion first to make a quick judgment.
Course presentation or academic report	Arrange chapters in the order of "problems, methods, results, conclusions"	The order is in line with the audience’s understanding, making it easier to follow the train of thought.
The project plan needs the other party’s approval	Put only one decision point per page, with risks and alternatives	Decision makers care about trade-offs and don’t need process details
Lots of content, more pages than expected	Split into two parts, or move the details into an appendix	If the text is too long, the focus will be diluted and the rhythm will be messed up when speaking.
Time is tight, need to submit the manuscript as soon as possible	First organize the outline from existing documents, and then apply a unified style	The content already exists, reorganizing the structure saves time

Before you start: Confirm these points first

Who is the audience and what do they already know. This determines the depth of explanation and terminology usage. For those who are not familiar with the industry background, use one page to explain the background first; those who are familiar with it will go directly to the data and conclusions.
Demonstration duration and occasion. The duration determines the page limit. The PPT lectures on site should have less text, and the focus should be on oral explanation; the documents sent to others to read by themselves should be able to read each page independently, and the text can be more complete.
Source of material. If the data comes from Word, tables or reports, extract the key points first. Content that can be reused directly saves time rather than retyping. When the material is a scanned PDF, you need to use OCR to recognize the text first, and the recognition results must be checked word for word, especially numbers and proper nouns.
Output form. Determine whether to only demonstrate it locally or send it to others. When you need to send it, it is recommended to keep the editable source file and export another version for sharing.
Whether the speech notes are written separately. When there is a lot of explanation content, it is recommended to write a separate lecture document to record the key points and transitional words of each page, instead of cramming everything into the slides.

Steps to create a slideshow from blank in OmniDoc

Download and open the desktop client. Go to download.omnidoc.top to download the version for Windows, macOS or Linux, install and open it.
Create a new slide. Open the UniPPT slide editor in the client and create a new blank presentation.
Write the outline first and then build the pages. List the titles of each page on paper or in a document. Write only one conclusion on each page. Make sure the order of chapters is reasonable before starting to work on the pages.
Fill in the content page by page according to the outline. Put one core idea on each page, and use short sentences or bullet points to avoid sticking the entire paragraph on the page.
Unify the layout and color matching. Choose a set of fonts and two to three main colors, and keep title placement, margins, and accent colors consistent across all pages.
Organize the data and put it into charts. When there is a lot of data, you can organize it in spreadsheet software first, then put the chart or table into the corresponding page. The title of the chart directly states the conclusion it explains.
Insert the picture and check the clarity. Select clear pictures related to the topic to avoid stretching and deformation; for screenshots, make sure the text can still be seen clearly after enlarging it.
Try the lecture and adjust the number of pages. Speak it completely, record the pages that timed out or were not smooth, merge duplicate content, and delete details irrelevant to the conclusion before finalizing.

Check each item after completion

Check items	How to see	What to do if there is a problem
Is the logic smooth?	Just look at the title of each page, whether it can be strung into a complete paragraph.	Adjust the order of chapters and merge pages with repetitive meaning
Is there only one key point on each page?	Ask yourself page by page: what do you want the audience to remember on this page	Split it into two pages, or move the minor content to the appendix
Is the font and color matching unified?	Turn several pages in succession to see if the title position, font size and color are the same.	Go back to the uniform style and reapply it to avoid manual adjustment page by page.
Is the data accurate?	Check figures, units and dates against the original data	Go back to the source file and modify it without changing it from memory.
Is it normal after changing the equipment?	Turn on another computer or cell phone to see if the font and picture are misplaced.	Check whether the font is missing, change to the common font if necessary, and then save it again.

When checking, it is recommended to ask a colleague who is not familiar with the project to go through it quickly. What they don't understand is usually where the audience gets stuck.

# frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. Without the basis of design, how can PPT look good?

Uniform layout is more important than fancy design. Choose a set of fonts, two or three colors, the title position is fixed, leave enough white space, the whole PPT will look neat and professional.

2. What does online PPT do? Can we not install the software?

If you are just making a temporary copy, you can open the online presentation tool in your browser and follow the order of outline, filling, and uniform layout of this article. When you need to use and organize a large amount of material for a long time, consider installing the UniPPT slide editor in the desktop client.

3. Find PPT to make free tutorials, how to choose tools?

When choosing a free tool, focus on the file size limit, whether there is a watermark after export, whether the uploaded content is protected by privacy, and whether the typesetting is retained after export. These conditions are a better indication of whether the tool is suitable for your document than the propaganda.

4. What are the methods for making PPT?

There are three common ideas: building the outline page by page, replacing the content after applying the ready-made template, extracting the main points from the existing Word or PDF reports and reorganizing them. The page-by-page approach from the outline is more suitable for new content starting from scratch, and the latter two are suitable for situations where time is tight or the material already exists.

5. How to learn how to make PPT?

It is effective to practice with an existing report. First break it into an outline, and then redo it page by page according to this step. After you finish it, compare the original manuscript to find out the gap between logic and typesetting, and you can form your own habits after a few more rounds of work.

# Summary

The key to making a good PPT is before you start: first figure out what the audience should remember, then use the outline to determine the number of pages and the conclusion of each page, and finally unify the layout, check the data, and try to make a final speech. According to this order, a well-structured PPT production can be completed even if there is no design basis.

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