Freelance Graphics' SmartMasters, Harvard Graphics' Quick Presentations, or PowerPoint's AutoContent Wizard, self-prompting tools give casual business users a much-needed hand in making design decisions.
Template files generally have two tiers, or layers: a background or bottom layer, and a slide-layout layer. Both layers have an effect on the text and graphics that appear on the slide (i.e., topmost) layer. The background layer can contain a graduated or colored fill, a company logo, or other graphics, but its main function is simply to repeat whatever is placed on it on every slide in the presentation. The slide-layout layer determines where to position blocks of text and graphical placeholders on the slide, as well as what text font, size, and style attributes to use.
For the "idea" side of the presentation -- adding the content to the design -- help was previously limited to providing some organizational tools, such as an out
liner. Now most programs also offer professional help in creating and structuring the content of a presentation for specific purposes, such as a sales pitch, a budget proposal, a benefits explanation, and so on. (
See the sample slide.
) The programs accomplish this feat by including content outlines for these topics and by using the program's text-placeholder function. Freelance Graphics and PowerPoint 95 offer the best selection of content outlines, followed by Harvard Graphics and Corel Presentations. Adobe Persuasion offers none.
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Corel's content outliner guides you through a prese
ntation.
Anatomy of a Template
