This document discusses how to transform an online help article into a more user-friendly support tool. It begins by showing an example of a typical online help article that is difficult to understand and navigate. It then shows how the same content can be restructured and presented in a more visually appealing and digestible format with clear headings, sections, and navigation. The document advocates breaking up information into smaller chunks, using colors and formatting consistently, and providing clear labels and navigation tools to improve the online user experience and make support more accessible.

1. Does your Online Help…
need some help?

2. 22
TYPICAL ONLINE HELP* | BEFORE
Technical products and services can
be really productive. And
intimidating. Maybe this is true for
your company.
Online help systems aren’t always as
helpful as they could be. But it doesn’t
have to be that way.
Using a real Microsoft help article,
just as an example, here’s a look at
unlocking the value in your help
system.
Source: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint-help/creating-powerpoint-presentations-from-word-outlines-
HA010197798.aspx

3. 33
TYPICAL ONLINE HELP | AFTER
Believe it or not, this is the same
material as the “before” example on
the previous page. It’s colorful and
broken into smaller, more digestible
chunks of information.
Next Slide
Go ahead.
Click any slide to
get a closer view.

4. 4
Online help is a crucial part of any support structure. Here’s a look at transforming an online
Microsoft help article in an easier to read…and use…support tool.
Before we begin
An exerciseGetting started
The correct way
Creating Powerpoint
Presentations from Word
Go Back

5. 5
creating presentations from Word
Before we begin
All examples and ideas illustrated within this article were created
using Office Word 2003 and Office PowerPoint 2003, both Microsoft
Office 2003 programs.
The techniques should work similarly for the last two versions of both programs — but
they haven't been tested by me. Having said that, let us proceed with the rest of this
article.
Using PowerPoint and Word
section 01
Before we begin
Getting started
An exercise
The correct way
More options
Note!
Finally
In this article
Go Back

6. 6
creating presentations from Word
Getting started
In this article, we will discuss
ideas that help create
complete presentations
within PowerPoint from
suitable Word content.
Word often acts as a storyboard in
the foundation stage of a concept. It
is quite normal to find people
creating plans and jotting
inspirations in Word to form outlines
which can be
refined and fine-tuned to be used
later as content for brochures, press
releases, and presentations.
In this article, we will discuss ideas
that help create complete
presentations within PowerPoint
from suitable Word content.
Microsoft provides an easy way to
create PowerPoint presentations
from Word documents as long as
you have both programs installed on
the same computer.
On the Word File menu, point
to Send To and click Microsoft
Office PowerPoint. This opens up
PowerPoint with a basic
presentation that contains text
elements contained within the Word
document.
If you just tried this procedure using
a Word document you already have,
you might be quite unhappy with the
results. That is because PowerPoint
accepts only a distinct style of
formatting within a Word document.
Using PowerPoint and Word
section 01
Go Back

7. 7
creating presentations from Word
An exercise
Let us create a sample Word
outline to illustrate the point.
Open Word and type the following:
Slide 1
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Save the document, and on
the File menu point to Send To and
click Microsoft Office PowerPoint.
PowerPoint will open in the
background and present you with at
least four slides with titles that match
our four lines — that is not what we
required!
On the Word File menu, point
to Send To and click Microsoft
Office PowerPoint.
Using PowerPoint and Word
section 01
Go Back
If you followed all the steps correctly,
you will find that PowerPoint has
created a single slide presentation
with one title and three bullets in the
text area — exactly like a
conventional presentation!
You can create multiple titles and
bullets in Word using the Heading 1
and Heading 2 styles respectively,
for all your content. This in turn will
translate into multiple slides within a
PowerPoint presentation.

8. Help…
that’s helpful.
The End