Weekly Computer Tip # 240
3 August 2008

Show slide number x of y on every slide (PowerPoint 2000-2007)

This week's tip is inspired by one of my fellow trainers (Hi, Julie!) who emailed me the other day saying "How can I insert the slide number and total slide count into a master? For example, if I'm on slide 8 of a 20-slide presentation, the page number would read "8 of 20". If I was to insert a new slide, it would read "9 of 20", etc"

Let me start off by saying that it doesn't work in the way you might be used to in Word or Excel. In PowerPoint it is a manual thing, so you'd better do this once you've finished your presentation.

Here's how:

1. On the View tab, in the Presentation Views group, click Slide Master. (If you are still using an older version of PowerPoint: choose the View, Slide Master command.)
2. In the bottom right corner place your cursor before the <#> in the text box, and then type "Slide".
3. Place your cursor after the <#>, and then type "of y", where y equals the total number of slides in your presentation.

Next, insert your slide number as normal:

4. On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Slide Number. (If you are still using an older version of PowerPoint: choose the Insert, Slide Number command.)
5. Tick the Slide number box.
6. Click OK.

As mentioned before, it doesn't work in the same way as it does in Word and Excel, so remember that if you alter the number of slides, you'll have to edit the Master Slide again. (But I hope you keep your audience in mind ... do you really want them to know how many more slides they have to sit through?!)

Until next week.

PS I’m committed to sharing the best of what I know with others so please don’t keep me a secret. If you enjoyed today’s tip, please forward it to anyone you feel may benefit. Alternatively, feel free to reprint it (with full copyright and subscription information) in your newsletters and message boards.

Home   Training   Support   Clients   Contact Details   Virtual Press Room   Disclaimer