Excel to PowerPoint

I developed a VBA application in Excel that creates a powerpoint presentation of nicely formatted slides from the rows in a spreadsheet and released it into public domain. Using powerpoint you can design the layout of each of the pages that will represent a single record adding lines, textboxes, graphics or any other element you can possibly incorporate in PowerPoint. The link to your data is made by referencing the title of the column in the spreadsheet. So, for example, if you have a textbox in your powerpoint template that looks like this:

This product require {Req Prod}

Then the application expects one of the columns in your spreadsheet is titled "Req Prod" and the value in that column will replace the placeholder string {Req Prod} when you run the program. This is very similar to how Word does a mailmerge.

Cool feature alert: you can even include a screenshot for each record!

A sample dataset and template are included.

Click the download link to get this app for free!

Excel Tips: Using Transpose in an Array Formula

You have a table that is configured horizontally and want to retrieve its values into a vertical layout. How do you quickly create a single formula to retrieve the these values?

In the example here I listed the number of movies I like on different NBC cable channels. Your horizontal layout (in this case B2:G3) could reside in a separate tab. Perhaps it is a P&L that has multiple columns for each fiscal year compared (2008, 2007, 2006, etc). You want to retrieve the values in a horizontal fashion (as the above picture range in columns I and J.

Open up excel and try this with me:
1. Enter the data exactly as listed above (don't worry about formatting it pretty)

2. Highlight the range J3:J7 and then enter the formula shown below (don't hit enter yet!):


In case you can't read this clearly, the formula is: =transpose(b3:g3

3. Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. You have now entered an array formula into the range of cells you selected (J3:J7) and this is what your spreadsheet should now look like:



Bonus tip: To copy the headings from B2:G2 into the I column, do this: Select the range B2:G2, move your cursor to I2 and select Edit -> Paste Special. In the paste special dialogue box turn on the "Transpose" checkbox and hit enter!

Have a challenging Excel task and want help? Let me know what you are interested in and I will post the tip on my blog!