Basic PowerPoint question re: speaker's notes

February 28, 2013 8:44 AM

How does the speaker's notes function work in PowerPoint?

I've got to give a presentation today and I have to use PowerPoint (2007 on Windows). The trick, I've never really used the software to give a presentation, so I want to make sure I know what I'm doing.

The laptop will be hooked up to a projector. I have speaker's notes added to the bottom of each slide.

I want to ensure the slides that are visible to the audience on the screen don't have my notes on them. What's the simplest, easiest way to do this?

posted by sardonyx to computers & internet (8 answers total)

You want to be sure it is set to Presenter View. In that viewing mode you'll be able to see the slides and notes on your laptop and the audience will just see the slides through the projector.
posted by goggie at 8:56 AM on February 28

Thanks goggie.

Just to be sure we're on the same wavelength, when I go into the Views tab, I see "Presentation Views" on the ribbon.

In that box I see Normal (which is highlighted).

Beside that I see:
Slide Sorter,
Notes Page
Slide Show
Slide Master,
Handout Master
Notes Master

So if Normal is highlighted, am I good? Or do I need to click on something else?
posted by sardonyx at 9:03 AM on February 28

It should be in the tab for slide show rather than the View menu. On that tab there should be a choice that says something like "use presenter view" that you can select.

The view tab is just to look at each individual slide. You could print hard copies of your notes from here, but it would be more cumbersome than using the Presenter View.
posted by goggie at 9:13 AM on February 28

Ah, I see it there.
That box is already checked, so it should be good to go--assuming I can actually hook my laptop up to the external monitor. I've never had to do that before. (Fingers crossed).
Thanks a million, goggie.
posted by sardonyx at 9:16 AM on February 28

Doing the monitor hookup can be fiddly and take a little time to get right. If you can get access to the conference room you'll be in beforehand, I would highly recommend doing so. Take 15 minutes or so and hook up your computer so you'll know how it works and not be trying to figure it out in front of an audience. That'll also give you a chance to make sure the slides are displaying the way you want.

Often, once you connect a second display, the presenter view (notes, upcoming slide, etc) will be on one and the presentation view (slides only) will be on the other. If you can take time beforehand to make sure the settings are right and everything shows up where you want it, you'll be able to concentrate on the presentation once it's time to give it.
posted by duien at 9:33 AM on February 28

My plan is to get to the off-site location early and do exactly as you suggest duien. I don't expect the hook-up to go smoothly at all. That would be too easy and I don't believe in easy. But thanks for the reminder.
posted by sardonyx at 9:36 AM on February 28

Get your notes printed out and work our how you can best maintain a link betweem them and which slide you will be on in case the room is not set up so you can use the presenter notes function easily. Ie, you are using a podium that doesn't allow for having your laptop open on it. This has happened to me more than once.
posted by biffa at 9:47 AM on February 28

Great suggestion, biffa.

I actually have the notes in a Word document as well, which I intend to print out. So I'll have a paper version, an electronic Word version and the PowerPoint notes.
posted by sardonyx at 10:02 AM on February 28