Best Add-Ins for Microsoft PowerPoint 2007

Have you ever been creating a PowerPoint presentation and wished there was some quicker, easier way to perform a task? Similarly, have you longed for a feature that just isn’t available in the current version of the software you are using? No matter how versatile a software application is, there’s always something that could be added to make it better. This is where add-ins come into play.

Generally speaking, an add-in is some extra feature or set of tools that can be installed as a supplement to an existing software application to improve its functionality. One example of an add-in for PowerPoint 2007 is the Get Started tab released by Microsoft that helps users find answers to commonly asked questions in a format that is much easier to follow than the online help system that comes with the original software package.

Microsoft is not the only place where you can find PowerPoint 2007 add-ins. There are many third-party developers who have noticed the need for a certain feature or ability. They have created add-ins that meet these needs and made them available for download as a service to the PowerPoint community. Some of these add-ins do have a price tag associated with them, but many of them are completely free.

PowerPoint 2007 add-ins come in all different shapes and sizes, and I’ve tried quite a number of them. While all of them have their good points and bad points, there are a few that I continue to use on a regular basis. Here’s a list of some of my favorites.

OfficeOne Shortcut Manager – This excellent add-in is, by far, one of my favorites. It allows you to assign shortcut keys to commonly performed PowerPoint tasks, including macros created with the Visual Basic editor. Although it’s not free, it is available as a trial download. You can test it out for free for 30 days before deciding if it’s worth the $29.95 charge.

Page XX of YY – The main function of this add-in that has been made available by Microsoft MVP Bill Dilworth, is the ability to label every slide in a presentation with the text “Slide X of Y” so viewers will know just how much of the presentation has been covered. A secondary function of the add-in is the ability to select specific slides and save only those slides as a new presentation. Another great thing about this add-in is the price – it’s 100% free.

Live Web – Not only does this add-in walk you through the steps of adding a web page to a PowerPoint slide, it also gives you the option of viewing that web page in real time. When delivering your presentation, the web page will appear in its current updated state, assuming you have a working internet connection. This is great if you want to showcase one or more web sites in a presentation, but you don’t want to switch back and forth between the slide show and a web browser. This add-in is also free.