Tables within a template

Resolved · Urgent Priority · Version 2007

Mon 19 Jul 2010, 10:34 Delegate Shelley said...

Shelley has attended:
PowerPoint Intermediate Advanced course

Tables within a template

Hi,

I want to add a table to a template so that the table slide can be selected as a template slide but the table can then be edited within the presentation. I can get the table to appear as a template slide but once I add it into a presentation, it's not editable.

Thanks!

Shelley

Tue 20 Jul 2010, 16:52 Trainer Andrew said...

RE: Tables within a template

Hi Shelley

Thank you for your question. I think there are two ways around this. As you've found if you add a table to a PowerPoint layout the table will appear when this layout is used but the table can't be edited.

Option 1 could be to replace the table in the layout with a table placeholder. You can do this by going to View > Slide Master then on the layout you want to use click Insert Placeholder and select table. Draw the table container in the correct position on the slide. Now when you create a new slide in normal view and choose your customised layout the end user can click the table container and set up their table.

The other way is to add a slide to your presentation template that has a part constructed table in it. For presentations where slides are needed copy this slide and edit it. For times when this slide is not needed just delete it or hide it.

I hope this helps - let me know how you get on.

Kind regards,
Andrew

Wed 21 Jul 2010, 11:13 Delegate Shelley said...

RE: Tables within a template

Hi Andrew,

I'm afraid Option 1 didn't work. I got the same result - a table appeared in the presentation but I couldn't edit it.

I basically want to be able to provide the user with a template of the table, which will include headers for each column and then the user should be able to complete the table with their own data.

Could you give me more instructions as to how I try option 2.

Any other ideas would be much appreciated.

Kind Regards

Shelley

Fri 23 Jul 2010, 15:17 Edited on Fri 23 Jul 2010, 15:21 Trainer Andrew said...

RE: Tables within a template

Hi Shelley

Certainly - this involves first creating a new PowerPoint document, adding a slide and creating the table with the headings and formatting required.

Then save the presentation as a template (Office Button > Save As then set the document type to template)

Now when you create a new presentation use this template (Office button > New > My templates)

If you need a table in your presentation you can use the part built one that is already in the template. If you don't need it you could delete the slide altogether.

One thing to mention re option 1 is to make sure that once you have switched to master view it is a placeholder for a table that gets added to the slide layout rather than a table itself. Placeholders are designed to be selectable in normal view so the creator of the presentation can easily replace them with content. A table directly added to a layout will not be editable in normal view.

Let me know if this helps.

Kind regards,
Andrew

Fri 30 Jul 2010: Automatically marked as resolved.

Training courses

	98.7 % recommend us
	More live stats...

Training information:

PowerPoint tip:

Working with slide show annotations in PowerPoint

When you have used the Pen or other tools to mark slide text or items in slide show view, you can quickly erase (delete) any markings on your slides pressing E.

View all PowerPoint hints and tips