Top 8 PowerPoint Hacks for Consultants

Summary

This video from Analyst Academy shares eight essential PowerPoint hacks used by consultants at top firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG to work more efficiently and build polished slides. It covers keyboard shortcuts, such as copying and aligning objects, using the F4 key to repeat commands, and formatting tools like ribbon shortcuts and the Quick Access Toolbar. These techniques save time and help create professional-looking slides. The video also includes tips on distributing and aligning objects perfectly, grouping commands, and more. It's perfect for anyone looking to improve their PowerPoint skills quickly.

Takeaways

• 😀 Consultants are PowerPoint experts, using various shortcuts to save time and work efficiently.
• 🖱️ Hack 1: Use Control + Drag to copy objects quickly in PowerPoint, a small but frequently used action.
• 📏 Hack 2: Use Shift + Drag to move objects in a straight line. Combine it with the copy shortcut for precise duplication.
• 🔁 Hack 3: The F4 key repeats the last action, saving time when formatting or aligning multiple objects.
• ⌨️ Hack 4: Use ribbon shortcuts with the Alt key to navigate PowerPoint commands without needing the mouse.
• 🖌️ Hack 5: Copy formatting with Control + Shift + C and apply it with Control + Shift + V to maintain uniformity across slides.
• 🔄 Hack 6: Distribute objects evenly by selecting them, going to the Arrange menu, and choosing Distribute Vertically.
• 🔗 Hack 7: Group objects with Control + G to treat multiple objects as one and simplify complex slide arrangements.
• ⭐ Hack 8: Use the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) to create shortcuts for commonly used commands and save even more time.
• 💡 Combining these hacks streamlines slide building, making PowerPoint work faster and more efficient, perfect for consultants.

Q & A

What is the first PowerPoint hack mentioned in the video?

The first hack is a keyboard shortcut for quickly copying objects on a slide by holding the Control key and dragging the object.

How can you move objects in a straight line on PowerPoint?

To move objects in a straight line, you hold the Shift key while dragging the object.

What is the benefit of using the F4 key in PowerPoint?

The F4 key allows you to repeat the last action you performed, which can save time when applying the same formatting or actions to multiple objects.

How do ribbon shortcuts help in PowerPoint?

Ribbon shortcuts let you access various commands using the keyboard without memorizing them. By pressing the Alt key, you can see shortcut letters for different ribbon tabs and perform tasks without the mouse.

What is the purpose of the 'Copy and Paste Formatting' hack?

The 'Copy and Paste Formatting' hack allows you to copy the formatting from one object and apply it to another using Control + Shift + C to copy and Control + Shift + V to paste the formatting.

How can you distribute objects evenly on a slide?

You can distribute objects evenly by selecting them, going to the Home tab, then using the 'Align' feature to distribute them vertically or horizontally.

What is the group command used for?

The group command (Control + G) lets you group multiple objects together so they can be moved or formatted as a single entity, speeding up the slide-building process.

How can the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) improve slide-building efficiency?

The Quick Access Toolbar allows you to add frequently used commands, such as 'Align' and 'Distribute,' and create simple keyboard shortcuts for them, significantly reducing time spent navigating menus.

What combination of shortcuts can you use to copy an object in a straight line?

By holding both Control and Shift keys while dragging an object, you can copy it in a straight line.

Why is it useful to distribute objects using keyboard shortcuts instead of the mouse?

Using keyboard shortcuts for distributing objects saves time and effort, especially when working with large presentations, as you avoid navigating through multiple menus each time.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introduction to Consultant PowerPoint Hacks

Paul from the Analyst Academy introduces a video covering eight PowerPoint hacks commonly used by consultants from firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG. The aim of the video is to help viewers save time, work efficiently, and create polished slides. He starts with a simple yet powerful keyboard shortcut: using Control + drag to copy objects. This seemingly basic hack is fundamental for building slides effectively and sets the stage for more advanced tips.

05:01

💡 Efficient Object Movement and Alignment

Hack number two builds on the previous copy shortcut by introducing the Shift key, which keeps objects aligned in a straight line while moving them. Paul demonstrates how combining the Control and Shift keys allows for quick duplication and perfect alignment of objects. He emphasizes that although these tips may seem mundane, they are critical for consultants who need to create slides quickly and accurately. He then teases more advanced techniques to come, encouraging viewers to stay engaged.

10:03

🔁 Using the F4 Key to Speed Up Slide Creation

Paul introduces the F4 key, which repeats the last command, saving time on repetitive tasks. He demonstrates its utility by changing the color of objects and duplicating aligned boxes in a slide. Combining the Control, Shift, and F4 shortcuts, he shows how to quickly replicate objects and ensure they are evenly spaced. The hack is particularly useful for building slides with consistent formatting, reducing the time spent on layout adjustments.

⚡ Unlocking the Power of Ribbon Shortcuts

In this hack, Paul explains how to use ribbon shortcuts to format shapes and text boxes quickly without relying on the mouse. By pressing the Alt key, users can access any ribbon command through keyboard shortcuts, speeding up the process of applying common formatting tasks. He demonstrates how to copy and paste objects, format them using keyboard shortcuts, and navigate through the ribbon faster than with a mouse.

🖱️ Copy and Paste Formatting: A Lifesaver Hack

Paul's favorite hack, copy and paste formatting, allows users to replicate the formatting of one object onto another with Control + Shift + C and Control + Shift + V. This is especially useful when formatting multiple objects or troubleshooting subtle formatting differences. Paul emphasizes how this shortcut can save users significant time and prevent formatting inconsistencies on a slide, a common concern for consultants.

📐 Aligning and Distributing Objects Perfectly

Consultants prioritize precise alignment, and this hack focuses on distributing objects evenly and aligning them perfectly. Paul demonstrates how to use the 'distribute' and 'align' commands in PowerPoint, either through the ribbon or with shortcuts, to ensure that all elements are neatly arranged. He shares how small misalignments can be corrected quickly using these features, helping to create professional-looking slides.

🔗 Grouping Objects for Faster Alignment

Paul introduces the group command, which allows users to combine multiple objects and treat them as one unit. This makes it easier to align and distribute objects as a group, saving time during slide creation. Paul shows how to group and distribute rows of objects in one go, speeding up the process of creating uniform and polished slides.

⚙️ The Quick Access Toolbar: Custom Shortcuts for Speed

The final hack focuses on the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT), which allows users to create simple shortcuts for frequently used commands. Paul demonstrates how to add commands like 'distribute' to the QAT and access them with a single key, streamlining the workflow. By customizing the QAT, users can dramatically reduce the time it takes to perform common actions, further enhancing efficiency in PowerPoint slide creation.

🎬 Conclusion: Mastering PowerPoint with Consultant Hacks

Paul wraps up the video by encouraging viewers to practice these PowerPoint hacks to cut their slide-building time in half. He invites viewers to check out additional resources on the Analyst Academy website, including a free downloadable cheat sheet with top PowerPoint shortcuts. He emphasizes the value of these hacks for creating polished, professional presentations and thanks viewers for watching.

Keywords

💡PowerPoint hacks

These are tips and shortcuts designed to improve efficiency and save time while building slides in PowerPoint. The video focuses on eight specific hacks that consultants from companies like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG use to create polished, professional presentations quickly. Examples include using keyboard shortcuts and formatting tools.

💡Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts refer to key combinations that allow users to perform tasks more quickly in PowerPoint. In the video, shortcuts like Control + Shift for copying objects and F4 for repeating the last action are discussed to demonstrate how consultants streamline their work while creating slides.

💡Copying objects

This is one of the core tasks demonstrated in the video, where users can duplicate objects on a PowerPoint slide by holding the Control key and dragging the object. This small action is crucial for saving time when building repetitive elements on slides, especially when combined with other shortcuts like Shift and F4.

💡F4 key

The F4 key in PowerPoint allows users to repeat their last action. This hack is essential for quickly applying the same change, such as formatting or duplication, across multiple objects. In the video, it’s used to replicate object placement and formatting, streamlining the slide-building process.

💡Ribbon shortcuts

Ribbon shortcuts enable users to access PowerPoint commands directly through the keyboard by pressing the Alt key and navigating the options that appear. The video emphasizes how this shortcut can save time compared to manually navigating the ribbon with a mouse.

💡Align and distribute

These are PowerPoint commands that allow users to align and evenly space objects on a slide. The video shows how consultants use these commands to ensure their slides are visually consistent, avoiding misaligned or unevenly spaced elements. This is crucial for creating professional-looking presentations.

💡Group command

The group command in PowerPoint allows users to combine multiple objects into a single unit, which can then be moved or formatted as one. This is used in the video to help distribute and align multiple rows of objects at once, making the slide-building process faster and more efficient.

💡Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)

The Quick Access Toolbar is a customizable row of commands that can be placed above the ribbon in PowerPoint. The video explains how adding frequently used commands, like ‘Align’ and ‘Distribute,’ to the QAT can drastically reduce the number of steps needed to format slides, speeding up workflow.

💡Copy and paste formatting

This PowerPoint hack allows users to replicate the formatting of one object and apply it to another. The video illustrates how consultants use this to ensure consistent styling across multiple objects, helping maintain uniform design elements such as font size, bullet points, or margins across a presentation.

💡Consultants

In the context of this video, consultants refer to professionals working at firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG, who frequently use PowerPoint to create high-quality presentations. These consultants are known for their efficiency and precision in slide-building, making the hacks they use highly valuable to anyone wanting to improve their PowerPoint skills.

Highlights

Introduction to eight PowerPoint hacks used by consultants at McKinsey, Bain, and BCG.

Hack #1: Quickly copy objects by holding the Control key and dragging the object.

Hack #2: Move objects in a straight line using the Shift key while dragging.

Combining hacks #1 and #2: Copy and move objects in a straight line using Control + Shift.

Hack #3: Use the F4 key to repeat commands and save time when formatting slides.

Hack #4: Ribbon shortcuts—access commands via keyboard without memorizing them using the Alt key.

Efficiency tip: Use ribbon shortcuts to format text boxes quickly, saving time over using the mouse.

Hack #5: Copy and paste formatting using Control + Shift + C and Control + Shift + V for fast and consistent formatting across objects.

Hack #6: Distribute objects evenly on a slide using the Align and Distribute commands.

Hack #7: Group objects together with Control + G to move or distribute them as one unit.

Hack #8: Use the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) to create shortcuts for frequently used commands, cutting down on time spent navigating the ribbon.

Practical use case: Quickly create multiple subtitle boxes aligned and evenly spaced using hacks #1, #3, and #6.

Tip: Add commonly used commands like Align and Distribute to the Quick Access Toolbar for even faster slide building.

Mention of free resources: Download the top 50 PowerPoint shortcuts cheat sheet from Analyst Academy.

Closing: Encouragement to use the hacks for faster, more efficient PowerPoint slide building, with a link to further resources at theanalystacademy.com.

Transcripts

- Hey everyone.

Paul here from the Analyst Academy.

And in this video,

I'm going to cover eight PowerPoint hacks used

by consultants at places like McKinsey Bain and BCG.

Consultants are well-known

for being absolute PowerPoint wizards.

So we're going to talk about what they do to save time,

work more efficiently, and build beautiful slides.

(upbeat music)

The very first hack on our list is a keyboard

shortcut that allows you to quickly copy objects on a slide.

It's really simple.

All you need to do is just hold the Control key

and click on the object you want to copy.

Then just drag it away like this.

And before you start thinking to yourself,

wow, what a waste of a video,

I already know how to copy and paste.

Thank you very much.

Remember that, although this is a very small action.

It's something you'll do over and over

if you're building your slide right.

Plus I'll show you how to combine this

with other shortcuts to make it even more powerful.

Hack number two.

This one builds on the first one.

It's a keyboard shortcut

for moving your objects in a straight line.

It's similar to our copy shortcut

except this time you'll hold Shift.

And then again, just drag the object away

and notice how it stays exactly in a straight line.

And the real power here comes when you combine

these first two together.

So with this object right here

I can hold Control and Shift at the same time,

then click and drag my mouse away like this.

And it's going to create an exact copy

of the object directly below it.

Okay. Again,

yes, I know this seems really boring, but stick with me,

it's about to get a lot more interesting.

Well, as interesting as PowerPoint it can get.

So now that we can copy objects

in a straight line really quickly,

we're ready for hack number three,

which is to use the F4 key to repeat commands.

So, for example, if I decide

I want to change this box to green,

I can do that up here,

but then if I want to change this second box,

I can just click on it and hit F4,

and it'll repeat exactly what I just did.

This is helpful enough,

but check out what happens when we combine

all three of the shortcuts we've learned to actually

start building a slide.

Let's say I'm trying to build a slide

with four subtitle boxes on the left.

Once I have my first box in place,

I can just hold Control and Shift,

then click and drag this down

to make my second box like this.

But then watch this.

if I just hit F4 a few times,

PowerPoint is going to repeat what I just did.

And not only that,

but it's going to space them all evenly apart.

So, already in just a few seconds

I've got a main chunk of my slide completed

and it's already formatted and spaced exactly how I want.

Okay. But hang on, it's about to get even better.

But real quick,

if you're getting any value out of this video,

please give it a like.

It helps us to know what kinds of videos you like,

and what we should make more of.

Plus it also helps us here on YouTube.

So, thanks for your help.

Oh, and if you're interested in more stuff like this,

check us out at theanalystacademy.com,

where we've got lots of great courses

and even some free stuff as well,

like our top 50 PowerPoint shortcuts cheat sheet

which you can download right now.

I'll include a link to that below.

All right.

Now, the next hack is to use ribbon shortcuts,

which are going to help us format shapes

and objects really quickly.

So the ribbon is this bar of commands right up here

where you've got most everything you need.

Like for example, on the Home tab,

you can change the size of your font

or in the Insert tab,

you can add new objects like a box or a table.

This is all stuff you already know,

but what's genius about the way Microsoft

has set this all up,

is you can actually access all of these commands

with your keyboard without having to memorize anything.

Which can really save you a lot of time.

All you have to do is hit the Alt key

and see how all these letters appear up in your ribbon.

Just hit the letter for the tab you're trying to open.

So let's say we want to go to the Home tab,

we can just hit H

and now all the options in the Home tab appear.

So if I want to do something like change the font color,

I can hit FC and then select the font color I want.

Now, before you fall asleep

because this is the world's most boring hack.

Let me show you how much time it can really save you.

So, I have my box on the left here,

and let's say I wanna take one of these boxes

and turn it into a regular text box

with bullets that I can put in this column.

Remember the name of the game

when it comes to efficient slide building

is using what you already have on the slide.

So, I'm going to take this box,

copy it over using our Control and Shift shortcuts.

And now I'm ready to format.

But instead of using my mouse

to come up to the ribbon every single time,

I'm just going to use my ribbon shortcuts to format the box.

And this looks like I'm going lightning fast.

But what I'm doing is actually really simple.

I'm just following the shortcuts

it shows me when I hit the Alt key

and I promise you getting to this level is not hard at all.

So. there you go.

We've now got a box formatted, exactly how we want.

This only took a few seconds,

whereas if I were to use the mouse

it probably would have taken a lot longer.

Okay. And now here's where the magic really happens.

Remember our shortcuts from earlier?

I'm going to take this text box and copy it over.

Then select all of these at once and hold Control and Shift

Copy them down.

Then just hit F4.

And now we have the meat of our slide,

but not only that it's perfectly aligned.

But hang on, it's about to get even better.

This next hack is probably my absolute favorite

of the bunch,

because it's gotten me out of a lot of sticky situations.

The hack is copy and paste formatting.

And just like it sounds,

this lets you copy the formatting of one object

onto another object.

Take a look at this box right here.

Let's say I decided instead I wanted it to be bullet points.

Like what you see right here.

I select the bullet points, hit Control Shift C

and then select the box and hit Control Shift V

and check that out.

The box is no longer a box.

It's a set of bullet points.

I can't tell you how helpful this really is.

Especially when you start doing multiple objects at once.

Like, if I wanted to turn all of these boxes

into bullet points.

Just select them all, do the same thing, Control Shift V.

Another situation where this is really helpful

is when you're trying to adjust the formatting

to look the exact same on every object.

But for some reason, the formatting of the objects

look a little bit different from each other.

Maybe, the margins are off or the line spacing is different

or the font size is off by half a point, whatever.

Rather than trying to find and fix what's different,

you can just copy the formatting from one object

and paste it onto the other.

And seriously, this will really save you in a pinch.

At this point in the video,

you might be thinking to yourself

that there can't possibly be any more hacks

that are this good.

Well my friends, buckle up because I've got three more.

With our slide in place here,

let's say we wanted to make this five rows

instead of the current four.

Well, easy enough, right?

We just select this entire row and drag it down like this.

Well, obviously that creates a problem

because not only are we out of room down here,

but our spacing is all off.

And if there's anything consultants hate,

it's a misaligned slide.

If you're a consultant and you're watching this

let me know if you agree, but it personally drives me crazy

and it drives most other consultants, I know, crazy too.

So, what we're going to do is use our distribution command,

which is going to allow me to take these boxes

and distribute them evenly.

To do that, select all the boxes you want to distribute,

then go up to the Home tab,

then arrange down to a line

and select distribute vertically.

And see how the spacing

between each of these is perfect now.

And I can do the same thing with these two columns

but instead of going up to the ribbon again,

I'm going to use ribbon shortcuts.

Like we learned earlier.

I'll hit Alt H G A

then select V to distribute these vertically.

Then we'll do the same thing for this last column.

Only this time, I'll do it at normal speed.

And check out how fast that is.

And these are all lined,

but let's say one of these boxes was sticking out like this.

If I wanted to make sure these are all aligned

along the left edge here,

I could follow the same path to get into my align menu,

but then rather than distributing the boxes,

I'll just hit L for align left,

and notice how all these boxes are now aligned.

So, now we have five rows like we want instead of four

and they're all evenly distributed

and aligned and I can sleep peacefully at night

knowing everything is placed, where it should be.

All right. Now I'm going to show you

how to speed up that process just a little bit.

Then we have one more mega hack at the end

and we'll be done.

So, it was kind of a pain

to have to distribute each of these columns individually.

I'd rather just distribute all the rows at once

and save myself some time.

Well, the way to do this is by using the group command.

And basically what that does

is it allows you to treat a bunch of objects

as one single object.

What that's gonna do is let me select an entire row,

group it together, which you can do by hitting Control G

then distribute the whole thing at once.

So, let me quickly do it in these other rows.

And now I can select them all

as if they're their own objects,

use my ribbon shortcut to distribute,

and there you go.

There's a whole lot more you can do with the group command

that we don't have time to cover here,

but it really is a neat shortcut

that will help you in your slide building.

And that brings us to our final hack

the Quick Access Toolbar or the QAT.

Remember back when we were using ribbon shortcuts

to align and distribute objects,

you know, like one minute ago?

Commands like that are great

but sometimes can be a hassle

because you have to hit like five keys

to get where you want sometimes.

Well, here's where the Quick Access Toolbar comes in.

It allows you to take whatever command you want

and create a really simple shortcut for it.

Let's take the distributed command for example.

If I go there with my mouse,

I can right click on the command

and then add it to the Quick Access Toolbar,

which is this row of commands right here,

that's always showing no matter what ribbon tab you're on.

So, when I need to distribute vertically,

I can just click on this icon right here.

But then not only that,

I can access this just like I do my ribbon shortcuts

by hitting Alt and then whatever number shows up.

So then rather than having to hit Alt H G A V,

I can just hit alt 1 or alt 5 or whatever the number is.

Once you've customized your QAT how you want,

you can cut your slide building time in half.

The trick is to add commands that you use often

but are also a little tricky to get to with your mouse.

Which is why a lot of people like to add the align

and distribute commands we just talked about.

All right.That's going to do it for today's video.

Thanks again for watching.

And I hope you found it helpful.

If you have any questions about what we talked about today,

be sure to leave a question in the comments

and I'll do my best to get to it.

And if you're interested in stuff like this,

be sure to check us out at theanalystacademy.com.

We have lots of really great courses there.

Plus our free download the top 50 PowerPoint shortcuts

cheat sheet.

And as always remember to stay connected

with us here on YouTube for lots more free stuff

and be sure to follow our other social media channels.

I'll include links to all that in the description below.

Thanks again for watching and best of luck.