Next question. When you finish your first draft of a presentation, what do you do next? Do you vacation in Europe? Do you start other presentations?

Not yet. First, I like to view the whole presentation in slide show form. This way, I can look at all the graphics, animation, effects, and so on -- to get a good idea of how the presentation feels. Now is the time to tweak the presentation. It's what we in the entertainment biz call "screening the rough cut".

Watching the Slide Show In a Slide Show, all the slides of your presentation are displayed in sequence. The Slide Show is controlled either automatically or manually. You can preview the presentation you are working on at anytime by clicking the Slide Show button. If you have applied timings to all the slides in your show, the Slide Show runs automatically. If you haven't applied timings to the slides, you must advance the slides manually. Let's take a look at how you can preview a Slide Show by advancing the slides manually. 1. Click on the View tab. In the Presentation Views Group, click on the Slide Show button. The Slide Show will start from the beginning of your presentation, with slide 1. Note: You can start a Slide Show from any view -- Slide Sorter View, Slide View, etc. 2. To advance to the next slide of the show, click the left mouse button. The next slide will appear onscreen. 3. Continue clicking the left mouse button until the show is complete.

What if you want to tweak a part of the slide show that is in the middle? Does that mean you have to watch the beginning over again?

Not at all. Follow these steps...

Starting the Slide Show somewhere in the middle 1. Click the slide you want the Slide Show to start with. For example, Slide 4. 2. Click the Slide Show button in the lower right area of the PowerPoint window. Alternatively, click on the Slide Show tab, go to the Start Slide Show Group, and click on the From Current Slide button. The Slide Show begins with the slide you selected.

What if you're viewing a Slide Show and you decide you want to stop the show? Maybe the bell has rung, or maybe you want to start the Slide Show from the beginning again.

Yeah, because maybe your partner missed it the first time because he is always late. Hint, hint, Jim.

Stopping the Slide Show PowerPoint lets you stop the slide show for any reason. Follow these steps... 1. Move the pointer on the screen and wait for the buttons to appear in the lower, left-hand corner of the screen. 2. Right click on your mouse and select the End Show option. The show stops.