QAT

The TLC Custom QAT for PowerPoint

This month, I am focusing on PowerPoint add-ins because the ability to extend PowerPoint’s functionality is one of the biggest attributes that allows it to be a “professional” design tool. The first place to start is PowerPoint’s own extensibility with the QAT – Quick Access Toolbar.

QAT-2016-2

I am a big fan of the Quick Access Toolbar. My first post about it was back in 2009. Then, less than a year later, I became an even bigger fan when PowerPoint 2010 added the ability to export and import pre-made QAT toolbar setups. More recently, at the end of 2015, I became distressed over the QAT when an update to PowerPoint 2016 essentially limited its functionality – which has happily been fixed by the Microsoft PowerPoint Dev team (YAY!!).

The first step in effectively using and setting up the QAT is to move it from above the menus to below. By default, it is above the menu bar (with FILE / HOME / INSERT / etc.) and only has a few buttons. Click the down arrow on the right and select SHOW BELOW THE RIBBON.

At TLC, we have a very customized QAT installed on all of our computers – and has 37 time saving, always available buttons! For this blog post, I am showing our version that only uses standard PowerPoint features (I do run a more customized version that also integrates some tools from 3rd party add-ins – many of which will be in posts this month).

QAT-2016-1

Click HERE to download the TLC customized QAT (download .zip file, extract, then follow install information below).

To install:

– Go to FILE > OTPIONS

– In the POWERPOINT OPTIONS dialog, go to the QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR tab

– In the lower right, click the ARROW on the Import/Export button

– Select IMPORT CUSTOMIZATION FILE

– In the FILE OPEN dialog, locate the custom QAT file and click OPEN

– At the warning dialog that existing toolbar setup will be overwritten, click YES

– Customized QAT is now installed!

QAT-2016-3

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T08:10:12-07:00June 2nd, 2016|Software/Add-Ins, Tutorial|

PowerPoint 2016 and the QAT (it doesn’t fit!)

I have been moving TLC Creative Services to Windows 10 and Office 2016 in small groups. The new OS and updated version of Office are stable and provide a great work environment (with a lot of customization of settings to be what I want!). One item I have not been able to figure out a solution for is how PowerPoint 2016 displays the QAT.

Here is my QAT with Office 2013 (captured last month) with PowerPoint full screen on a 1920×1080 resolution. There are 37 quick access buttons to make my design time more efficient. Note: The last button is close to the middle of the PowerPoint ribbon.

2016_QAT_3

Now here is the exact same QAT, on the exact same resolution monitor and full screen app. The only change is a move to PowerPoint 2016. Note: The last button on my QAT is not visible, the QAT buttons are incredibly spread apart and now span the entire ribbon width – and the last few buttons do not even fit, they are cut off!

2016_QAT_1

I do not have a solution (yet). I did think of the Touch Mode that adjusts the interface, but it does not affect the QAT, just the ribbon buttons. I will report back if (when) I find a QAT display solution.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T08:51:16-07:00October 16th, 2015|PowerPoint, Resource/Misc|

The PowerPoint QAT – A Designer’s Best Tool

The Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) is one of the best options for making your design work faster, if setup properly. The PowerPoint QAT is basically a collection of the top used “buttons” always accessible without having to change tabs on the ribbon.

PowerPoint QAT 3

Setting up the QAT is fairly easy, but tedious. But Microsoft has made it very easy to leverage someone else’s effort. In this case, my effort, think of it as my gift to everyone that reads this post, and instantly setup your QAT with 37 buttons to speed up design.

Download the QAT file HERE (unzip and “PowerPoint Customizations.exportedUI”).

In PowerPoint, go to FILE > OPTIONS > QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR > IMPORT/EXPORT > IMPORT > select the downloaded file > say YES to the dialog > done.

PowerPoint QAT 2

– Troy @ TLC

 

By |2016-08-10T08:54:31-07:00September 28th, 2015|PowerPoint, Resource/Misc, Software/Add-Ins|

Something New On My QAT

The QAT is the #1 customization and way to speed up design work. Recently, I was using another designer’s computer and discovered an amazing button for the QAT, and it is unbelievable that it was not one of the first items I added when first customizing it!

QAT-Animation Pane 1

This button opens the Custom Animation Pane. I predict that this button will save me 10 hours of design time in 2016! The animation pane is something I access continuously, and going to the Animations tab and then the Animation Button takes a lot of mouse movement and, ultimately, time. Now, if I need to review the animation on a slide (not necessarily add animation, just see what is on a slide and adjust timing in the Animation Pane), I click this button no matter what tab I am on and the animation information needed is there.

To add, go to FILE > OPTIONS > QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR. In the POPULAR COMMANDS list, the 6th item down is ANIMATION PANE. Select it and click the add button to place it on your QAT.

QAT Animation Pane 2

Hopefully everyone has discovered this wonderful button and already have it on your QAT (and are now seriously wondering how good I really am at that PowerPoint program). Just sharing my experience and hopefully helping others not feel left out by not having the Animation Pane button on their QAT.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-10T08:55:49-07:00September 24th, 2015|PowerPoint|

Move Your Custom QAT To Any PPT 2010 Machine

In PPT 2007 the QAT (Quick Access Toolbar) was the only customization option for the ribbon. In PPT 2010 the ability to customize the ribbons has been added, but the QAT is still the best resource for having always needed tools always available.

Here is my QAT, which I detailed in this post.

PPT 2010 adds a new feature to the QAT setup. Here is the QAT dialog in the Options area.

In the lower right is a new Import/Export option.

If you have customized your QAT, use the Export option to save a data file with all of your customization options. This can be used to setup your QAT on another computer or if something happens to your current computer you can quickly get your familiar work enviroment back.

If you have a QAT data file, click ‘Import Customization File’ and go find the data file.

You will see a warning dialog that existing toolbar setup will be overwritten – say ‘Yes’ to install the new QAT.

Now the QAT column will show all of the tools/buttons added (compare to first dialog image above that showed default 4 tools).

Last, if you would like to setup your QAT with the tools I have, my QAT toolbar data file can be downloaded here (850K).

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-08-16T11:35:30-07:00May 18th, 2010|Resource/Misc, Tutorial|

Superscript with Keyboard Command

If using PPT 2007, you may have found the super and subscript buttons missing from the ribbon. My first solution is to make use of the QAT (Quick Access Toolbar) and add these valuable tools to it.

But you can also make any text superscripted with a keyboard command.

This works in PPT 2007, 2003, XP, and 2000 (cannot remember if works in PPT 2000, so this is just a guess).

A few notes about using the keyboard options from my use and observations:
1. PPT 2003 CTR+SHIFT+(plus) superscripts. Do it again and it returns to
standard text.
2. PPT 2007 CTR+SHIFT+(plus) superscripts. Do it again and nothing happens
(eg. no way to return to standard text from keyboard commands).
3. I have never been able to use keyboard command in either version to sub-script text (although others have said it works).

By |2016-09-16T09:03:38-07:00February 2nd, 2010|Tutorial|

#14 – Customizable Ribbon

One item that really kept me from moving to PPT 2007 was the inability to customize the Ribbon. The QAT was the best offering and I have made good use of it. With PPT 2010 the main Ribbon becomes customizable!

When you look in the PowerPoint options, next to ‘Quick Access Toolbar’ is a new item “Customize Ribbon” – Yeah!

When open it uses the same interface as the QAT customization dialog.

But it has an easy to see drill down navigation that goes from Tab to Section to Button. Here I have gone into the Insert tab and added a new section.

The new section can easily be renamed, which I have called “Page”

Within my new ‘Page’ section I have added the ‘New Slide’ button (funny how the Insert tab does not have ‘insert new slide’ on it…).

I then moved the position of the Section to be the first item – or far left on the Ribbon.

Here is my custom Ribbon. The Insert tab has the ‘New Slide’ button on it – right where I would expect it to be.

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T09:17:23-07:00December 4th, 2009|Tutorial|

Tools On My QAT

With PPT 2007 we are very limited in how to customize the application. The one customizable “toolbar” is the QAT – Quick Access Toolbar. So here is what I have mine:

1. Save
2. Open Slide Master
3. Subscript
4. Superscript
5. Insert Symbol
6. Align to objects (works with #23-24)
7. Align to Slide (works with #23-24)
8. Text Color
9. Fill Color
10. Line Color
11. Insert Shape
12. Crop
13. Pickup Style
14. Apply Style
15. Format Painter
16. Change Shape
17. Align Left
18. Align Right
19. Align Center
20. Align Top
21. Align Bottom
22. Align Middle
23. Distribute Horizontally
24. Distribute Vertically
25. Bring to Front
26. Send to Back
27. Rotate Left 90′
28. Rotate Right 90′
29. Flip Horizontally
30. Flip Vertically

What do you have on your QAT?

– Troy @ TLC

By |2016-09-16T10:00:55-07:00August 6th, 2009|Software/Add-Ins|
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